Tough Personnel Decisions Pillars of Decorum, Discipline, Decency

Tough Personnel Decisions

Pillars of

Decorum, Discipline, Decency

Employees everywhere are expected to work strictly as per three fundamental norms:

1. Employees shall at all times:

                     (a) maintain absolute integrity.

  (b) maintain devotion to duty

  (c) do nothing which is unbecoming of an employee of

       the organization.

2. Every employee shall in performance of his duties or in exercise of powers conferred on him, not, act otherwise than in his best judgment except when he is acting under directions of an official superior.

3. Penalties may be imposed on employees for “Good and Sufficient” reasons.

In a normal situation where employees perform their duties with devotion devoid of greed for money or otherwise; there is no reason for any forced correction in the conduct of the employees. But mistakes do take place for various considerations or otherwise like those made:

1) for lack of information

2) through lack of skills

3) for lack of experience

4) because of carelessness

5) intentionally made

6) for money or kind or favours,

7) mistakes of integrity

How to handle these mistakes. It is a critical issue for a manager coupled with the responsibility of maintaining high productivity in the system.

Before taking any action, the person authorized to notice and correct employees’ conduct, must have exact information about the mistake, its details, implications financial or otherwise, and the role played by employees of various levels. Higher the level of an employee more responsibility is on his shoulders.

Give sometime to the delinquent to think himself and if he admits his mistake explain him the implications with a dictate not to repeat the same in future; he should learn from the happening. If it, so happens then no further process is required except in case of mistakes intentionally made for money and favours. Mistakes of integrity have to be processed further.

Talk to the offender in private so that he has opportunity to open-up, talk free, make him realize the consequences of having done something wrong. The senior must ensure that there are “good and sufficient” reasons to punish; trivial matters must be left outside the scope of notice and punishment.

Reprimand is not the best remedy always; it would be good idea to encourage the offender to do better next time.

Mistakes of integrity, or made for money or some other favours and intentionally made should never be excused and dealt with strictly in accordance with the rules and instructions on subject, to inculcate discipline in the system. Sometimes it is essential to have the employee punished under the respective National Penal Code.

Integrity is sum total of the character of an individual it consists of honesty, trust, dependability, responsibility, attitude, professionalism, creativity. If a manager finds an employee lacking in these respects; such an individual exploits every opportunity for personal gains. He is a liability to be eliminated urgently.

Majority organizations deal with integrity mistakes by strictest of procedures and punishments range up to dismissal from service and in Govt if it happens to continue after retirement, it results in total stoppage of pension or very high cuts in pension-the monthly payment a person receives after demitting office, from the employer till his last day. When an employee happens to be a risk to the security of the state, the procedures are not important, it is the fact and the intentions that matter and Govt’s remove such threat with exceptional powers.

However, lapses of devotion to duty are viewed from various angles and punishments range from simple reprimand to dismissal from service. Higher you are in the hierarchy more sever is the punishment.

It is very delicate issue to decide whether to punish an official or not. Here many a times competent authorities view the issues from different angles; weigh the consequences of the mistake to the organization vis-à-vis the delinquent; unproductive nature of the process; personal circumstances of the employee and so on. One thing is sure we live with the organization, our aspirations, progress, family welfare are all linked with its existence. So one should not be afraid or too compassionate so as not to proceed against when circumstances demand. You must be bold enough to take bold and tough decisions. Legally speaking every employee holding a supervisory post shall take all possible steps to ensure the integrity and devotion to duty of all employees for the time being under his control and authority.  

The punishment given must commensurate with the offence committed. It is essential for the health of the organization. I have seen a senior employee being dismissed from service for allegedly receiving a bottle of wine from a supplier of the company. If a delinquent goes scot free it encourages others and in particular fence sitters to jump to the wrong side. Competent authorities lose respect and have to face decorum and decency issues. In fact, such instances reflect adversely on the competence and integrity of the competent authority: so such instances should never happen; let the delinquent understand that he has done something wrong notice worthy.

Annual appraisals are another important instrument to keep the company going and developing. Here the supervisors must be honest enough to give a true assessment of the personality and character of the individual smoothing abrasions here and there.  Exaggeration in resume is highly prevalent among the employees and should be ignored: but it is sin & crime for the competent authorities to exaggerate the qualities and shortcomings of a subordinate.    

Bold decisions are tool for keeping the organization as well the work force in good health.