I heard a story the other day about an organization where the managers are more concerned about catching employees doing something wrong than they are in developing their staff to be the best that they can be. Now that is “WRONG”. If you want to develop a toxic work environment then you are certainly on the path to being successful. I can just imagine the high turnover rate that this organization has and how disengaged the employees must be. I then begin to wonder what the criteria is to be part of the management team in an organization such as this. Does this sound like a place that you would like to be??
Obviously this organization must have a well-used progressive discipline policy and would likely have a steady stream of grievances if they are a unionized organization. In today’s market, retention of employees should be a high priority – not targeting them to see what they are doing wrong so you can punish them.
I am doing some work with a couple of very progressive organizations. They are developing a progressive discipline process ironically with input from the employees. Now how awesome is that! These organizations are very progressive and have realized the “power of mentoring.” They have incorporated it into the progressive discipline process. The approach that they have taken is to put into practice a period of mentoring to help adjust the behaviour that the employee may be disciplined for. Their belief is that it is more important to help an employee grow personally and professionally and only as a last resort to then turn to the formal discipline process. They are developing a mentoring culture where everyone helps each other grow personally and professionally with the idea in mind that they will never have to use the progressive discipline policy! All of this has increased employee engagement in the organization which has increased productivity. Disenchanted employees are disengaged employees and we know who suffers when that happens. The clients that you serve will always suffer when your organization has a productivity challenge. A challenge that you can PREVENT!
Is mentoring an alternative for progressive discipline? It more appropriately would be a solution that can complement a progressive discipline policy. It can send a clear message to your employees that you do care about their growth and that they are valued. In today’s resource market that is so important – and some organizations just don’t get it. I take my hat off to the two organizations that I am working with. They understand, they get it and their employees and clients are the benefactors of their efforts. An engaged, empowered and accountable workforce – will we ever need progressive discipline?? Remember that all of this has been enabled through the “power of mentoring!”