Employee Discipline

Dr. Jayalaxmi Samal

Assistant Professor
Department of Humanities, KIIT University
Introduction
• Discipline is essential not only for the success of general life of a person
but also for the success and progress of success of an organization.
• In order to achieve the organizational goalsproper employee discipline is
of very importance.
• The existence of a good organization becomes necessary for all the
stakeholders such as owners, managers,workers, suppliers, customers,
investors and even the Government.
• Hence it becomes necessary that all the employees (managers and non-
managers) in anorganization adhere to the rules about work behaviour.
Definition
• Robbins (1982) defines that the term "discipline" refers to a condition
in theorganisation when employees conduct themselves in
accordance with theorganisation's rules and standards of acceptable
behaviour.
• According to CollinsBirmingham University English Language
Dictionary (1987), discipline is the practiceof making people obey
strict rules of behaviour and of punishing them when they donot obey
them.
• Werther and Davis (1989) define discipline as management action to
encourage compliance with organisational standards.
• Mathis and Jackson (2000)define discipline as a form of training that
enforces organisational rules
 The term ‘Discipline’ involves:
• A condition where employees conduct themselves in accordance
with rulesand standards of acceptable behaviour.
• To make employees obey rules of behaviour.
• To punish employees when they do not obey rules of behaviour.
• Managerial action encouraging employees to comply with
standards of theorganisation.
• A form of training to enforce organisational rules.
 What Types Of Employee Behavior Qualifies For Disciplinary Actions?
Companies censure a wide range of behavioral issues to maintain discipline in the workplace.

• Poor job performance • Theft

• Misconduct • Alcohol consumption while on
• Sexual harassment or assault duty
• Threats or acts of violence • Any action that may endanger the
safety of colleagues
• Fraudulent activities such as
misappropriation of funds • Reporting for work under the
influence of drugs
• Discrimination
• Dress code violations
• Attendance Issues such as Chronic
Absenteeism
 What Types Of Employee Behavior Qualifies For Disciplinary Actions?

• The grounds for dismissing an employee are clearly stated in Industrial

Disputes Act, 1947 (as amended in 1982) and the Industrial Employment
(Standing Orders) Act, 1946 – such as:
• wilful insubordination,
• theft,
• fraud,
• dishonesty,
• habitual late coming,
• habitual neglect of work,
• willful damage to property,
• disorderly violent behaviour,
• striking work in violation of rules,
• taking bribes, etc.
Guidelines for Disciplinary
Action
• Location of Responsibility:
• The responsibility for maintaining discipline should be entrusted to a responsible person (e.g., a line
executive), though it is the personnel officer who should be entrusted with the responsibility of offering
advice and assistance.
• Proper Formulation and Communication of Rules:
• Since employees are expected to conform to rules and regulations and behave in a responsible manner, it is
essential that these rules and regulations are properly and carefully formulated and communicated to them.
• Rules and Regulations should be Reasonable:
• Plant conditions and the management climate should be such as would be conducive to the observance of
rules and regulations.
• Equal Treatment:
• All defaulters should be treated alike, depending on the nature of their offence.
• Disciplinary Action should be Taken in Private:
• This is essential because the main objective of a disciplinary action is to ensure that a wrong behaviour is
corrected and not that the wrong­doer should be punished, or held up to ridicule.
• Importance of Promptness in Taking Disciplinary Action:
• Justice delayed is justice denied if the penalty is imposed long after a violation of rules has been
committed; it loses its positive and corrective influence, and may even induce resentment, which
may not have developed if the penalty had been imposed in time.
• Innocence is Presumed:
• An individual is presumed to be innocent until he is proven to be guilty. The burden of proof is on
the employer and not on the employee. It is for the management to prove beyond a reasonable
doubt, that a violation or an offence has been committed before any punishment is awarded.
• Get the Facts:
• Before taking any disciplinary action, it should be made sure to get and keep adequate records of
offences and warnings.
• Action Should be Taken in Cool Atmosphere:
• The action should be taken, not when one is anger but when the anger has “cooled off” a bit so
that rational and sensible judgement could be taken.
• After a Disciplinary Action has Been Taken the Supervisor Should Treat his Subordinate in a
Normal Manner
 Process for Disciplinary Action
• Charge Sheet is Framed and Issued:
• The first step in the procedure is to frame a written charge sheet which is based upon
a written complaint against the employee in question, and which contains details of
the offence with which he is charged and the allegations of misconduct made against
him, and indicating the time limit within which a reply to the charge sheet should be
submitted to the authorities.
• Receipt of Explanation:
• The employee may submit his explanation within the prescribed period of time, or he
may ask for an extension of time for its submission.
• Issue of Notice of Enquiry:
• If the explanation received from the employee is found to be unsatisfactory, a notice
of enquiry, mentioning the time, date and place, has to be given to him in which the
name of the person or officer who would conduct the enquiry would also be
mentioned.
• The Holding of Enquiry:
• On the appointed day and at the appointed place and time, the
enquiry is held by the enquiry officer in the presence of the
employee.
• The Findings:
• Once the enquiry is over, the enquiry officer has to give his findings,
which should invariably contain the procedure which was followed,
the parties’ statements, the documents produced and examined, the
charges made and the explanations given and the evidence produced.
• Communication of the Order:
• A copy of the order is then handed over to the employee.
 Penalties and Punishment
• As a result of custom and well-established practices, industrial penalties
have become fairly standardised.
• They vary from mild to harsh — from oral reprimand, written
reprimand, loss of privileges and fines to temporary suspension,
demotion or discharge.
• Ordinarily, there are different penalties for the same offence when it is
committed once, or the second time, or the third time.
• Minor offences generally call for the application of a progressive penalty
system.
• For an average person, an oral reprimand is enough to prevent
repetition of the same offence.
• A written reprimand is administered when an offence is committed the
second time, or when it is of a somewhat serious nature.
• For offences like tardiness, disobedience of the orders of the
supervisor or of safety rules, or being unnecessarily noisy
while at work, penalties that can be imposed are:
• loss of privileges withholding of increment,
• restriction on free movement in the place of work,
• withholding of the right to choose a machine or equipment with
which, or on which, he would prefer to work,
• posting on an uncongenial job
• For more serious offences — for example, gross negligence of duty,
repeated misbehaviour, or infliction of an injury on another
employee, or fraud the penalty may be temporary lay-off from one to
seven days without pay.
• Demotion as a penalty is rarely used. But whenever this penalty is
imposed, it is usually by top line executives.
• Discharge is, of course, the severest penalty that can be imposed
upon an employee, and is awarded for such serious offences as fraud
of a serious nature, sabotage, or working against the interests of the
company.
 Punishment for Disciplinary Action
• Depending on the gravity of misconduct, management may initiate the
following punitive actions against the employee who is found guilty-
• dismissal;
• discharge;
• discharge simpliciter;
• suspension;
• demotion to a lower grade;
• with-holding of increments;
• fine; and
• warning / censure.
• Of these, suspension, discharge or dismissal may be classified as major
punishments, while awarding a fine, warning or censure are regarded as
minor punishments.
 Dismissal and Discharge
• The final outcome of both dismissal and discharge is same that is the
employee’s services stand terminated.
• While dismissal is a sort of punishment against alleged misconduct,
discharge is not always a punishment.
• Dismissal has a negative connotation and carries a punitive label alongside. A
person who is dismissed from service may find it difficult to find alternative
employment, when compared to a person who is discharged from service.
• In case of dismissal, the employer can withhold the dues payable to the
employee whereas in case of discharge, usually all these are settled
simultaneously.
• Finally, before dismissing an employee, the employer has to hold disciplinary
proceedings (domestic enquiry) in a proper way. In case of discharge, he may
or may not go for it.
 Rewards of Discipline
• Physical discipline—rewards us with a healthy body and loads of
more energy. It helps us to remain energetic throuhout the day at the
workplace and has a positive effect on our productivity.
• Emotional discipline—rewards us with a strong, confident, balanced
self and family. It helps us in taking the right decision at the workplace
and strengthen our interpersonal relationship.
• Spiritual discipline—like taking fifteen minutes of quiet time for
ourselves each day—rewards us with a sense of calm, direction, and
purpose. This further promotes higher productivity as it leads better
engagement at the workplace.
Thank You