Employee%20Involvement%20in%20the%20Disciplinary%20Process

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Employee Involvement in the Disciplinary Process

• Presented by
• Pamela Skyrme, PhDSkyrme Associates, Inc
• Cynthia BenderCity of Clearwater Human Resources

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Progressive vs. Positive Discipline

• Progressive
• Punitive
• Done to employee
• Adversarial
• No follow-up
• No positive recognition

• Positive
• Developmental
• Done with employee
• Collaborative
• Follow-up as necessary
• Recognizes success

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Value-Added Outcomes ofPositive Discipline

• Provides more complete documentation
• Program generates more understanding, acceptance,
  and support for behavioral change
• Focuses on correcting problems, not punishing
  employees
• Recognizes and reinforces good performance

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Value-Added Outcomes ofPositive Discipline

• Provides method to confront those not meeting
  standards while maintaining and enhancing the
  employees self-esteem
• Influences employees to change behavior, accept
  responsibility, and return to fully acceptable
  level of performance
• Promotes teamwork and communication at all levels
  of the organization

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PHASE I Development and Implementation - How We
Got Here...

• In May 1995, HR formed Constructive Action Team
  (CAT) to review disciplinary program
• CAT conducted focus groups of 10 of employees
• CAT decided to develop new program
• Unions became involved
• Draft of new plan created

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PHASE I Development and Implementation - How We
Got Here...

• More focus groups held with 10 of employees
• Program modified based on feedback
• Approval!
• Implemented March 1998

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Department and Citywide Standards

• Developed with Employee Input
• Based on PIE
• Personal Responsibility
• Integrity
• Excellence

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Changes in Document Retention

• Action plans kept in departments if they are
  successfully completed
• Removed and destroyed after 3 years (per records
  retention requirements)

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Results Based on Supervisors Surveyconducted 6
months after implementation

• 46 response rate
• Results revealed
• 106 action plans implemented
• 53 of action plans successful
• 14 terminations or resignations
• 26 plans still in effect
• 13 unknown outcomes

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Benefits of P.B.M.P.Expressed by Supervisors

• Positive, problem-solving approach
• Better documentation
• Can be structured per case
• Gives more flexibility
• Puts responsibility on employee to improve
• Brings intervention and resolution to the
  first-line supervisory level

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Benefits of P.B.M.P.Expressed by Supervisors

• Employees seem to feel more comfortable with
  action plans as opposed to old discipline system
• Forces communication of standards
• Get direct feedback from employees, rather than
  relying on hearsay
• Solved problem

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Difficulties Encountered by Supervisors

• Coordinating review dates and times
• Need more understanding of program
• Told to revise action plan by superior
• Persistent problems with same employee
• Too much paperwork

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Difficulties Encountered by Supervisors

• Takes a great deal of time
• Better employees feel ignored
• Supervisors ignore action plan steps use
  coaching only
• Some employees dont take program seriously

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Feedback from Employee Focus Groups

• Even after mandatory training, many employees
  dont know much about the program
• Many departments did not include employees in
  standards revisions
• Need more training and information
• Other people want to know the outcomes of action
  plans

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Phase II Where are We Now?

• Organized new team
• Began department liaison program
• Conducted facilitator training
• Coordinated supervisor training
• Revising standards
• Measuring of results

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From the Citys Perspective

• Increases accountability
• Creates partnerships
• Addresses issues quickly
• Participation creates buy-in
• Uses discipline to teach, not to punish
• Corrects problems and deficiencies
• Reduces grievances and arbitrations

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From the Employees Perspective

• Employee-building
• Creates team building and communication
• Employee is accountable
• Much more positive - not fear-based
• Employees are taught and coached not punished

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For More Information, Contact

• Pamela Skyrme, PhDSkyrme Associates,
  Inc727-443-3199
• skyrme_at_mindspring.com
• Cynthia BenderCity of Clearwater Human
  Resources727-562-4845 cbender_at_clearwater-fl.com