Disciplinary meetings and how to conduct them

Disciplinaries are an unavoidable and necessary aspect of effective team management, though seldom an enjoyable experience for either employers or employees.

These conversations are a source of tension for both employers and employees alike, and to some, can feel like minefield of awkwardness, unease and full of the potential of conflict. Although, when handled well, these conversations can lead to positive results and improvements.

Here are our tips for how to address these conversations.

Preparation

Whether you are a seasoned pro or stepping into your first disciplinary meeting, it’s easy to feel a bit uncertain without having prepared. Think of it like giving a presentation – when you’re prepared, you’re confident and in control. But without this preparation, you might stumble. To make sure that you can handle the meeting with confidence and assurance, here are some essential tools to help you prepare effectively:

• Use the disciplinary invite. When drafted correctly, the disciplinary invitation letter can be a powerful tool in your preparation arsenal. The letter should clearly outline the concerns that are to be addressed in the meeting, and provide sufficient information and examples, ensuring everyone’s on the same page. Taking the concerns listed on the letter will help you plan the meetings’ structure and helps avoid a conversation with the employee that feels too rushed or disorganised.

• Review the investigation pack. The investigation pack should hold all the necessary evidence and examples of the behaviour or performance concerns being addressed in the meeting. Reviewing these ahead of the meeting will ensure that you gave all the facts straight and you are comfortable talking through them with the employee.

Keep calm, listen and maintain control

These types of meetings are often riddled with emotion, tension and awkwardness and have the potential to quickly spiral into conflict if not handled carefully and correctly. Keeping calm and maintaining your composure is key to ensuring that the meeting remains focused and professional.

• Stick to the facts. Avoid making assumptions or sweeping statements. Make sure that any points or questions you ask are based on solid evidence which should be included in the investigation pack. Pointing to evidence or facts can help avoid misunderstanding and avoids the risk of the employee feeling like you’ve already made up your mind.
• Listen. Give the employee the opportunity to explain their side of events without interruption. Listen to them carefully to understand their perspective or motivations, this should provide you with valuable insight into the situation. By listening patiently to the employee, you foster a more open dialogue.
• Maintain control. Whilst it’s important to listen to the employee and allow them to explain their version of events, it’s equally important to ensure that the meeting stays focus and does not stray off topic. 

If the employee starts to veer off course, gently guide them back to the issues at hand. This should help keep the meeting productive and ensure that all points are addressed effectively.

Stay neutral

Even if you feel extremely frustrated by the employee, it’s very important to remain neutral and not allow emotions to cloud your judgement. Focus solely on the facts and evidence at hand. Avoid showing bias, as this may affect any outcome given following the hearing.

Tactful questioning

Try to avoid asking closed questions that only require a simple yes or no answer. Instead, ask open ended questions that encourage the employee to elaborate on the situation in more detail.

For example, rather than asking “Did you call Tracey disgusting for cooking fish in the microwave?” try asking “Can you walk me through what led to the argument between you and Tracey during the dinner break?”

By asking these open-ended questions, you encourage the employee to provide a full picture of the situation. This not only helps you gather more information, but it can also allow you to identify possible solutions in addressing the issue and reducing the likelihood of it re-occurring again in the future.

Outcome

It’s important that you don’t give the outcome straight away at the end of the meeting. Letting the employee to give their version of events and following it up immediately with your outcome, suggests that the decision was pre-determined and runs the risk of undermining the entirety of the conversation.

At the end of the meeting, you should take time to consider the evidence along with the employee’s explanations before giving the outcome. It would be a good idea to pause the meeting in order to allow you to do this. 

Remember, the purpose of the outcome should not be to simply punish the employee for wrongdoing. It should be a combination of addressing the issue at hand and finding a fair and constructive resolution to these issues. Taking time to ensure that the employee has the support needed to move forward in order to reduce the likelihood of this reoccurring again in the future.

By following this strategy, you’ll ensure disciplinary meetings are fair, productive, and result in positive outcomes for both the employee and the team.