How Do You Maintain Fair and Consistent Disciplinary Actions Across Your Organization?

Disciplinary action should never feel like a personal attack. The best way I've found to maintain fair and consistent disciplinary action is to remain focused on the responsibilities of the position, policies and procedures, and the desired culture of the organization. These factors are generally in writing and approved by the oversight body. They do not change from employee to employee and, therefore, provide a standard and framework by which all employees can be evaluated and held accountable.

There are many things an organization can do to have fair and consistent policies for all employees. First, have a written policy. The policy should have a step-by-step disciplinary action, but with the ability to skip any step should immediate termination for gross misconduct be needed. You should train managers on the policy. The key point is having managers react quickly and start the disciplinary action.

Most managers wait until it becomes a bigger problem that results in terminating without full documentation. The company then pays unemployment and sees their tax rate go up. Also, when a manager addresses a minor issue before it becomes a major issue, normally you can turn the behavior of the employee around before the habit is so embedded that change cannot happen. Also, have a written two-day no-show policy that explains you are voluntarily terminated and adhere to it!

One method I've implemented to maintain fair and consistent disciplinary actions is the 'Leadership Modeling' approach. This technique enforces the standard that rules apply to everyone equally, regardless of their position in the organization. It starts from the top; I initiate by leading by example, taking responsibility for my actions, and not shying away from facing consequences if I happen to breach any rules. This sends a clear message across every level that no one is above the disciplinary system, fostering a culture of fairness and transparency.

At Keck Medicine of USC, we have adopted the concept of Just Culture to ensure fair and consistent action in disciplinary situations. The Just Culture approach creates a recognition of the role that systems and processes may play in an employee's lack of performance or errors. Implementing such a policy ensures that violations of a similar nature have equal consequences, and the investigative process takes into consideration all factors beyond an employee's control. It is important to stay true and firm to similar action for a similar violation regardless of an employee's position, ranking, and connections in the organization.

No matter what my position was—a rank-and-file employee in a small company, a mid-manager at a startup who manages a team and reports to the chief executives, or a C-level executive who needs to communicate different issues with the big team and run the strategy of the product—I have always defined an organization as a single-minded team. They work together as one mechanism to achieve the desired result, and when it comes to fair and consistent disciplinary action, the basis, in my view, is clarity, empathy, and open communication.

As the team plays 'one game,' they need to know and clearly understand the rules, expectations, and consequences, which should be explained during orientation and/or training weeks. Also, they need to know and feel that the company has their back in some turbulent

environments. And if you see that someone falls behind—reach out, talk, and execute.

Moreover, your team consists of real human beings with their own feelings and life views, which makes it crucial to listen to their concerns and feedback, address those, and offer your support if needed. Communicate with them as equals, opt for active listening, and engage in conversations that aim to achieve correction rather than threat and punishment, and, of course, don't forget to develop a step-by-step plan together with them.

Clear communication is the cornerstone of an effective disciplinary policy, ensuring everyone understands the expectations and consequences. Regular training keeps managers in sync with our standards for fairness and consistency. A well-documented process safeguards the organization legally and builds employee trust in our objectivity. Lastly, a review mechanism fosters transparency, assuring staff that their concerns will receive fair consideration.

It is the integration of real-time feedback loops within our disciplinary process. By implementing a system where feedback is given immediately after an incident occurs, we ensure that issues are addressed promptly, reducing the chance of bias creeping in over time. This approach also allows employees to correct their behavior before it becomes a bigger issue, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

We pair this with regular training sessions that reinforce our core values and disciplinary procedures. By consistently educating our team on these standards, everyone understands the expectations and the consequences of not meeting them. This proactive approach helps maintain consistency across the organization, as everyone is on the same page regarding what is considered acceptable behavior and how disciplinary actions are handled.