Introduction to Human Resource Management

Chapter 15 : Disciplinary Action

Definition and Concept of Discipline, Aims and Objectives of Discipline, Forms and Types of Discipline, Acts of Indiscipline or Misconduct, Principles of Maintaining Discipline, Mc Gregor's Red Hot Stove Rule, Disciplinary Procedure, Approaches to Discipline, Preventive Discipline, Positive Discipline, Disciplinary Actions, Verbal Warning, Written Warning, Suspension, Demotion, Pay cut, Dismissal, Code of Discipline in Indian Industry, Industrial Employment Standing Orders Act, 1946

Chapter Summary

Some employees, regardless of an organization's efforts at selection, socialization, job design, performance standards and reward practices, create discipline problems for the management. Handling these discipline problems is a sensitive and challenging task for a human resource manager.

Employees of an organization are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the organization's rules and standards of acceptable behavior. Employees who cannot be motivated to maintain such discipline require some degree of extrinsic disciplinary action. The primary objective of disciplinary procedure is to motivate an employee to conform to the organization's performance standards.

The disciplinary problems faced by the HR managers can be classified into four categories – attendance, on-the-job behavior, dishonesty, and off-the-job behavior. There are three approaches – incorrect discipline, preventive discipline, and positive discipline – to discipline the employees. One effective way to approach the disciplinary process is to follow the Red Hot Stove Rule, which suggests that administering discipline is more like touching a hot stove.

The various disciplinary actions that are administered are verbal warning, written warning, suspension, pay cut, demotion, and dismissal. The severity of the disciplinary action should be in accordance with the severity of the misconduct. The Government of India enacted the Industrial Employment Standing Orders Act in 1946 to ensure uniform and stable conditions of employment.

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