Chapter 9: Disciplining Employees and Ending Their Employment

Question 1

What are the three principles of the hot stove rule?

Answer 1

1. Disciplinary action should always be preceded by a warning
2. Disciplinary action should always immediately follow wrongdoing
3. Discipline should be enforced consistently in an impersonal and unbiased manner.

Question 2

What is a progressive discipline approach?

Answer 2

organizations develop series of disciplinary steps, each getting progressively worse.

Question 3

When is someone fired with just cause?

Answer 3

termination happens within a company’s standard disciplinary procedures.

Question 4

What is cyberactivity?

Answer 4

What you do with an internet connection

Question 4

Name five key principles in disciplining employees (for the first time)

Answer 4

1. Clarify problem during a discussion of first offense, describing why it is unacceptable.
2. Be specific and behavior focused.
3. Set an appropriate deadline for corrective actions and describe what that entails.
4. Express employee’s responsibility to change and your willingness to help.
5. Keep record of discussion including time and date it occurred.

Question 4

What is substance abuse disorder?

Answer 4

employees persistently use drugs despite harming themselves or experiencing other adverse consequences.

Question 4

What is a summary offense?

Answer 4

behavior that violates company policy or code of conduct.

Question 5

Name three gray areas of disciplining employees?

Answer 5

1. Substance abuse
2. Cyberactivity
3. Employee activism

Question 5

Name the two major risks of monitoring cyberactivity

Answer 5

1. Sends message of distrust to employees
2. Can trigger counterproductive behavior

Question 6

What is cyberloafing?

Answer 6

using internet connection for non-work related things.

Question 7

Name four less invasive strategies to monitor cyberactivity

Answer 7

1. asking employees to put aside phones in meetings,
2. arranging short work breaks for personal internet use,
3. blocking most problematic sites, and
4. training employees abut cybersecurity risks of internet behavior

Question 8

Name 5 steps to deal with disciplining in grey areas

Answer 8

1. Know the law; lots of activities
2. Consult the Policy
3. Communicate policy make sure employees know, understand and work within the policies and procedures.
4. Explain the logic
5. Read the room: policies are created at specific time with specific purpose. Violations can demonstrate a need for change.

Question 9

What are downsizing criteria?

Answer 9

criteria on which the decision to downsize and lay-off particular employees is based. Different ways to define value of employee (e.g. cost-benefit analysis, based on performance etc.).

Terminations should be based on performance appraisals and downsizing criteria; otherwise it is considered unfair by remaining employees.

Question 10

When, how and by who should employees be fired?

Answer 10

Treatment when terminating employees is most important factor in feelings of fired employee towards a company. Make sure the supervising manager tells the news. Don’t fire at Friday afternoon!!. Fire at a time when employees have time to prepare to tell their family and friends. Terminate in a neutral space (conference room etc.). Give news face-to-face and explain the reason of termination.

Question 10

Name the three types of support managers should give to terminated employees after downsizing initiative

Answer 10

1. Advance notice
   - Gives employees time to prepare financially and emotionally. Influences perceptions of fairness.
2. Severance benefits: continuation of employee beyond termination date. Downsizing companies that provide severance pay are perceived as fairer. Reputation matters once company starts recruiting again.
3. Outplacement services: includes support in preparing for applying to new jobs. Reminds employees that company cares about them.

Question 11

What should a termination meeting look like?

Answer 11

Termination meetings should be quite short (15 min). Only three things to do:
1. present fact employee no longer has a job,
2. explain why, and
3. advice on next step (point towards outplacement services). Termination will evoke strong emotions, it’s crucial to provide them with a clear next step.

Question 12

What are the three benefits of using third parties in ADR procedures?

Answer 12

1. Can ensure meeting legal obligations
2. Relevant information is reviewed
3. Different solutions are considered

Question 12

What are alternative dispute resolution procedures?

Answer 12

options that give employees opportunity to contest organizational decisions they perceive as unfair. Gives employee confidence that management has good intentions and wants to do the right thing. Should give employees a voice.

Question 13

What is meant with giving employees a voice?

Answer 13

opportunity for employees to express their concerns and be involved in conflict resolution process.

Question 14

Name 6 different ADR procedures

Answer 14

1. Step-review system: employee’s appeal is reviewed by successive layers of management.
2. Open Door policy: employee’s appeal can be reviewed by anyone in management.
3. Peer review
4. Ombudsperson: person with organizational responsibility for hearing employee complaints.
5. Mediation: third party help in resolving issue
6. Arbitration: arbitrator from outside organization is brought in to resolve issue.

Question 15

What is the disadvantage of using third parties in ADR?

Answer 15

Can decrease feelings of being fairly treated as it relies on the weighing of arguments of both sides by a third party.