Progressive Discipline Models
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Progressive discipline, which "proceeds from an oral warning to a written warning to a suspension to dismissal" (Cascio, 2003, p. 9) is a disciplinary process that relies on "responsive, corrective action rather than on severe disciplinary actions, together with increasing use of grievance procedures" (McCabe & Rabil, 2002, p. 34). As such, it is an effective means of disciplining employees from the standpoint of communicating what they have done wrong and what they need to do to amend it. It also prevents liability for wrongful termination in situations where the employee is progressively disciplined as a prelude to firing. It is not necessarily the optimum solution for dealing with employees that a company wishes to keep, however. Many employees feel stressed and pressured by progressive discipline, which makes it difficult for them to focus on improving their work. In addition, while progressive discipline pinpoints specific behaviors that the employee must improve, it is neutral or negative with respect to changing their attitude for the better. Progressive discipline may also lead to a "termination trap," wherein the company finds itself with no recourse but to fire an employee, even if they would prefer not to ("Don't Fall," 2003). Therefore, a system of procedural justice that can reduce the need for progressive discipline is beneficial. This paper will examine the "ethical organizational due process" (McCabe & Rabil, 2002, p. 33), proposing a discipline
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nging nothing within the organization to facilitate the achievement of that objective. Thus, if the organization is geared for outstanding service and the culture supports such service, it will not only be less likely for employees to fail to deliver it, it will be easier to get them back on track if they do fail. Moreover, the consistency of asking for something that has already been established as a precedent in the organization will increase credibility with the employees.
A second key and an excellent alternative to progressive discipline that integrates values is informal social control. Norms for the way employees should behave should be established within the organization, and these become, according to Jaworkski (1988), "a method of social control...which is used as a nonmediated influence mechanism" (Lusch, Boyt, & Schuler, 1996, p. 181). Social controls have the advantage of being largely "unwritten, typically worker-initiated mechanisms that influence behavior of individuals or groups in the organization," and-since they are unmediated and there are no promised rewards or threatened punishments, they are more likely to result in identification and not just compliance (Lusch, Boyt, & Schuler, 1996, p. 181).
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Laufer Robertson, Don't Fall, McCabe Rabil, Boyt Schuler, , Retrieved November, progressive discipline, Rabil JM, Bibliography Cascio, customer service, Robertson DC, social controls, Business Ethics, schuler 1996, don't fall, boyt schuler, social control, boyt schuler 1996, superior customer service, fall 2003, lusch boyt, don't fall 2003, alternative progressive, alternative progressive discipline, retrieved november 16,
Approximate Word count = 1498
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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