COURSE OVERVIEW:

Discipline is crucial to organisational success. It fuels productivity, reduces conflict and prevents misconduct in the workplace. As a leader or a manager, it is your responsibility to enforce discipline rules and make sure that all employees comply. Otherwise, you might end up dealing with conflicts, workplace bullying, unethical behaviours and poor employee performance.

Workplace discipline isn’t a matter of dominance or punishment. It’s about making the work environment safe and pleasant for both employees and management. Discipline works best when there’s a foundation of trust between managers and employees. That starts with clear communication and continues through consistency.

Discipline ensures individuals behave in an acceptable way at the workplace and also adhere to the rules and regulations of the organisation. Individuals who are disciplined are not only successful professionally but also in their personal lives. Disciplined employees are liked and appreciated by their superiors and by other fellow workers.

Maintaining discipline is not a one-off responsibility or job. It is an on-going process and starts with each individual understanding their responsibility, as an adult and part of a professional environment, towards maintaining discipline. The leaders and HR can only make the policies and do their best to lead by example, however, the onus of being disciplined and creating a healthy workplace is the responsibility of each individual.

Non disciplinary behaviour can disturb the decorum of the entire workplace. It can damage the reputation of the organisation and adversely affect its profitability and growth. Not maintaining uniformity in the disciplinary measures across the organisation would lead to disillusionment and distrust and would make employees leave the organisation – and we all understand the length the repercussions of exiting employees and the confusion it creates.

The first part of this course begins by explaining what discipline and grievance are. Then discusses the improvement/punishment balance and when is punishment valid. Then examines the differences between misconduct and gross misconduct offences. Then describes how to handle typical problems such as: unacceptable performance, unacceptable attendance, and unacceptable relationships/behaviour. Finally, explains how to look for the internal and external root causes of discipline problems.

Then second part starts by explaining the need and importance of workplace rules, then provides guidelines for developing discipline and grievance rules and procedures. Also, identifies the means and methods for communicating procedures. Then explains how to raise morale and improve motivation at work. Then describes how to handle discipline interviews and grievance interviews. Also, discusses how to handle dismissal interviews and the five per cent view of discipline and grievances. Finally, examines ways to prevent discipline and grievance problems.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

• The importance of workplace discipline
• What is meant by discipline and grievance?
• Why focus on the behaviour of apparently 'problem people'?
• The key facts of 'problem people'
• Is discipline punishment?
• The improvement/punishment balance
• When is punishment valid?
• The prime objectives of discipline
• The differences between misconduct and gross misconduct offences
• The work performance and work relationship issues
• The prime objectives of grievances
• The importance of having a positive view of discipline and grievance
• The root causes of discipline problems
• How to handle unacceptable performance?
• How to solve competence and commitment issues?
• When to discipline?
• How to handle unacceptable attendance/unauthorised absence?
• The problems caused by absence
• How to deal with absence problems?
• How to handle unacceptable relationships/behaviour?
• How to choose the right approach?
• When should you counsel, coach or discipline?
• The guidelines for counselling
• The three-step model to determine whether the formal disciplinary procedure is the right way to proceed
• The importance of keeping an incidents register/log
• The guidelines for rules and procedures
• What happens if we do not have fair and consistent procedures?
• The means and methods of communicating the procedures
• How do procedures fit with the management functions?
• Why is it essential to monitor and review all procedures?
• Why prevention is better than cure?
• Why poor morale exists at work?
• How to raise morale at work?
• How to improve motivation at work?
• How to handle the discipline interview?
• How to handle the grievance interview?
• How to investigate the grievance further, if necessary?
• How to make a decision about the grievance?
• What is an unfair dismissal?
• How to handle the dismissal interview?
• The five per cent view of discipline and grievance
• How to prevent discipline and grievance problems?
• How to manage people the right way?

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.