You are on page 1of 37

INTRODUCTION: Discipline is a form of method which the superiors use to control the behavior of their subordinates to get the

work done or to attain the desired goal. In school days we were brought up with a strict discipline which may be considered as an authoritarian approach but discipline has a flip side of it which most of us never acknowledge. In this seminar we will come across some of the concepts of discipline and about problem employees and their way of managing and the nurse managers responsibility in maintaining discipline at its most beneficial level. Discipline is the very basis of a well-organized and stable society. It forms the backbone of industrial management. No institution, howsoever progressive, can work effectively with indisciplined employees. The employee-employer relationship depends upon the overall control that an employer exercises over his employees, not only with regard to their performance of work in the establishment but also with regard to their conduct and behavior. Managements have to ensure proper maintenance of discipline for the smooth functioning of the organizations as well as for productivity enhancement. Definition: A process of controlling one's behavior and actions, motivation or through teaching and punishment. Discipline is a force that prompts individuals or groups to observe the rules. Regulations and procedure .which are essential for the effective functioning of an organization Discipline can be defined as the training or molding of the mind and character to bring about desired behaviors. Thus discipline allows one individual to have some control over another. It is a necessary and positive tool in promoting subordinate growth. either through self-

The word "discipline" has its roots in the Latin word discere, which means to learn. And the discipline (especially self-discipline) needed to perform at ones best is at the core of high performance in all fields of activity.

THEORIES OF DISCIPLINE: Choice Theory in Classroom Management William Glasser Choice Theory is the theory that we all choose how to behave at any time, and cannot control anyones behavior but our own. In the classroom it will be important for teachers to help students envision a quality existence in school and plan the choices that lead to it.

For example, Johnny Waits is an 18-year-old high school senior and plans on attending college to become a computer programmer. Glasser suggests that Johnny should be learning as much as he can about computers instead of reading plays by Plato. This concept is called quality curriculum; which consists of topics students find useful and enjoyable. Under Glassers strategy, the teacher would hold discussions with students when introducing new topics and ask them to identify what they would like to explore in depth.

Haim Ginotts Theory of Congruent Communication

Haim Ginott believes that effective classroom management depends a lot on the way in which the teacher interacts with students.

1.

Basic Assumptions/Philosophies Communication can foster desirable relationship between teachers and the

students. 2. Teacher is very influential and sets the stage for students positive behavior; a teachers personal approach creates the atmosphere that contributes to students behavior, both positive and negative. Therefore, it is a teachers responsibility to create conditions that contribute to students proper behavior. 3. The essence of discipline lies in finding effective alternatives to punishment. Kounin, Jacobs theory: He found that organization and planning were keys to good classroom management along with proactive behavior on the part of the teacher and high levels of student involvement. Teachers also need to have good Lesson Movement. This emphasizes the strong relationship between effective management and effective teaching. It is maintained through withitness, overlapping, momentum, smoothness, and group focus. Withitness - This is the teacher's ability to know what students are doing in the classroom at all times. It also includes nipping problems in the bud. The teacher should:

Always be alert to sights and sounds in the classroom. Arrange the seats so that students are always within eyesight. Scan the room when working with individuals or small groups of students. When helping an individual make sure that you do not have your back to the rest of the class.

Briefly acknowledge misbehavior at first detection to let the class know that you know. So not let the misbehavior escilate before action is taken.

Overlapping - The teacher's ability to effectively handle two classroom events at the same time, instead of becoming engrossed in one and letting the other happening be
3

neglected. When instructing one group, the teacher should be able to acknowledge difficulties that students outside of the group may be having so that instruction continues moving. This also includes distractions from outside the classroom such as notes from the office or students walking through the hallways. Smoothness - The teacher's ability to smoothly transition between learning activities. Teachers should:

Preplan the lesson so that extraneous matters are realized ahead of time and taken care of. Supplies for the class should always be preorganized before class begins and close to where they will be used.

Once students are doing their work and engaged, do not distract them. Leave them to their work and assist individuals with questions or needs.

Momentum - The teacher's ability to have steady movement or pacing throughout a lesson. If a class has momentum, the teacher will:

Keep the lesson moving briskly. Not overdwell on a minor or already understood concept. Correct students without nagging and quickly return to the lesson. Have students move from one activity to the next without being forced to wait for each other and each step in the transition.

Group Alerting - The teacher's ability to keep all students actively participating and to create suspense or interest. It includes:

Calling on students at random by asking a question only after scanning the room to make sure students are paying attention.

Raising group interest by interspersing suspense between questions. Having the entire class respond in unison. Physically moving around the room and asking students to show what they have done.
4

Asking one student to respond and looking at others.

LEE AND MARLENE CANTER: Assertive Discipline management plan by Lee and Marlene Canter suggests that the teacher develop a general set of classroom rules and then assign a multi-step list of consequences and reinforcements. Students who obey the rules will be rewarded by a tangible reward, such as extra free time, a pizza party on Friday, or the privilege of turning an assignment in one day late. Students who do not follow the rules will experience a pre-determined list of consequences, increasing with severity if the student continues to disobey. Students who obey the rules will be rewarded by a tangible reward, such as extra free time, a pizza party on Friday, or the privilege of turning an assignment in one day late. Students who do not follow the rules will experience a pre-determined list of consequences, increasing with severity if the student continues to disobey. However, the Canter model has several critics, despite its widespread popularity. These criticisms tend to focus on the severity and rigidity of the plan, and the top-down approach to classroom management. Critics also complain that the AD model is retroactive in practice, instead of proactive. Students, they claim, should be taught to be responsible for their behavior and self-correct before they misbehave.

RICHARD CURWIN AND ALLEN MENDLER:


Their model, Discipline with Dignity, recommends a preventative approach to dealing with misbehavior. Students that have a history of chronic misbehavior, they contend, misbehave only when they have encountered multiple affronts (insult) to their personal dignity, or have lost all sense of hope academically and emotionally. Most misbehavior, such as talking in class or out of turn, tardiness, laughing at inappropriate times, etc., are minor problems that while irritating, are not malicious or dangerous, and can be corrected through more direct and expedient (convenient) instruction. Curwins

and Mendlers approach focuses more on the "behaviorally at-risk" student who is in danger of failing because his or her misbehavior impedes their ability to learn. Their view is that schools spend far too much time trying to figure out why a student misbehaves, when they should be spending more time trying to change the pattern of misbehavior (Curwin & Mendler, 1988). Discipline with Dignity proposes to use effective instruction, clear standards of acceptable behavior, and even more unequivocal (clear) consequences. A high incidence of discipline problems could also be found in schools and classrooms that neglected adopting specific rules and, more importantly, consequences for breaking those rules. They recommend the Three-Dimensional Discipline Approach:

Prevention: What can be done to minimize problems? Action: What is to be done once problems occur? Resolution: What can be done for the chronic misbehaver?

The Discipline with Dignity model also stresses that teachers must offer choices to students as a result of their actions, use humor, and disregard excuses. Teachers, they say, are largely responsible for the behavior that students display in their classroom. Assertive Discipline Pros:

Utilizes a simple, no-fuss approach to classroom management. Places the responsibility for student misbehavior squarely on the shoulders of the student, not the teacher.

Easy to develop discipline plan. Allows student input for rules, reinforcements and consequences.

Cons:

Can be too simplistic. Often is too severe for minor infractions, and can lead to resentment.

Teacher-centered. Students are often the last individuals to be considered in the development of the plan. Plan is designed to make the classroom run smoothly, without interruptions.

May be unrealistic for every classroom. Tends to be reactive in the response to misbehavior. Does not offer a clear alternative for preventative discipline.

Discipline with Dignity Pros:


Student-centered. More concern is displayed for students rights and dignity. Focuses on preventative measures for student misbehavior. Emphasizes better instruction techniques and sincere compassion for preventing discipline problems.

Encourages teachers to let the small stuff go. Focus only on the real problem behaviors.

Designed to help the behaviorally-at-risk student. Emphasizes caring and empathy, rather than control and dispassion.

Cons:

Places too much blame on the part of the school and teacher for misbehavior. May have too much emphasis on student-control. Students may not always know what is best for themselves and need to have strong leadership on the part of the teacher to succeed.

Is not a simple, no-frills approach to classroom discipline. Requires more teacher planning and forethought than AD.

Positive Approach to Rules (McGregor (1967) In order for discipline to be effective the employee must feel that a measure of fairness is present. McGregor (1967) has developed a set of rules for enforcing discipline to aid managers in this regard. McGregor refers to this set of rules as hot stove rules, because he equates them to someone touching a hot stove. The following rules explain his theory: 1. All individuals must be forewarned that if they touch the stove (i.e., break the rules) they will be disciplined. They must know the rule beforehand and be aware of the punishment. 2. If a forewarned individual touches the stove (i.e., break the rule), immediate action will be taken by the manager; that is, the person who touched the stove gets burned immediately. 3. If the individual touches the stove again, she will get burned again; therefore, there is consistency. Every time the rule is broken, there are immediate consequences. 4. If any individual touches the stove they also get burned immediately; that is, impartiality in enforcing the rule. Everyone is treated alike. If a rule or regulation is worth having, it should be enforced. The use of McGregors rules keeps morale from breaking down and allows structure in the work environment. However, there should be as few rules and regulations as possible in any organization and all rules, regulations, and policies should be reviewed periodically to see if any rule should be modified or deleted. If a manager is spending a great deal of

time enforcing a rule, it may be that there is something wrong with the rule or how it is communicated and the rule should be re-examined.

Principles of discipline: Discipline should be administered promptly, privately, thoughtfully, and consistently following rule of infarction. Discipline should be progressive in nature preceded by counseling for service offences. Disciplinary action may have serious and long term consequences for the employee such as loss of income and damage to professional reputation. In such case, situation is investigated to ensure that discipline is warranted. Approaches to discipline: Traditional approach Developmental approach Traditional approach emphasizes punishments for undesirable behaviors. The main purposes of Traditional approach are, To implement punishment for sin To enforce conformity for custom To strengthen authority of old over the young

Developmental approach emphasizes the discipline as a shaper of desirable behavior. The main purposes of Traditional approach are, To shape the behavior by providing favorable consequences for the right behavior or unfavorable consequences for the wrong behavior.

To avoid physical punishments, protection of rights of the accused and replacement of arbitrary individual judgment with group judgment and guilt.

SELF-DISCIPLINE:
Self-discipline endows with the stamina to persist in whatever one does. It bestows the ability to resist hardships and difficulties, whether physical, emotional or mental. It grants the ability to reject immediate satisfaction, in order to gain something better, but which requires effort and time.

Building Self
According to Steve Paulina, in his book, Personal Development for Smart People (2008),self-discipline is like a muscle. The more you train it, the stronger you become. The less youtrain it, the weaker you become. Just as everyone has different muscular strength, we allpossess different levels of self-discipline. THE FIVE PILLARS OF SELF-DISCIPLINE: Acceptance, Will Power, Hard Work, Industry, and Persistence ACCEPTANCE: The first of the five pillars of self-discipline is acceptance. Acceptance means that you perceive reality accurately and consciously acknowledge what you perceive. This may sound simple and obvious, but in practice its extremely difficult.

10

WILL POWER: Will power is the ability to overcome laziness and procrastination. It is the inner power that overcomes the desire to indulge in unnecessary and useless habits, and the inner strength that overcomes inner emotional and mental resistance for taking action.

HARD WORK: Most people will do whats easiest and avoid hard work and thats precisely why you should do the opposite. When you discipline yourself to do what is hard, you gain access to a realm of results that are denied everyone else. INDUSTRY: Industry is working hard. In contrast to hard work, being industrious doesnt necessarily mean doing work thats challenging or difficult. It simply means putting in the time. You can be industrious doing easy work or hard work. In life there are many tasks that arent necessarily difficult, but they collectively require a significant time investment. If you dont discipline yourself to stay on top of them, they can make a big mess of your life. Just think of all the little things you need to do: shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, paying bills, home maintenance, childcare, etc. And this is just for home if you include work the list grows even longer. Selfdiscipline requires that you develop the capacity to put in the time where its needed. PERSISTENCE: Persistence is the fifth and final pillar of self-discipline. Persistence is the ability to maintain action regardless of your feelings. When you work on any big goal, your motivation will wax and wane like waves hitting the shore. Sometimes youll feel motivated; sometimes you wont. But its not your motivation that will produce results its your action. Persistence allows you to keep taking action even when you dont feel motivated to do so, and therefore you keep accumulating results.

11

Persistence of action comes from persistence of vision. When youre super -clear about what you want in such a way that your vision doesnt change much, youll be consistent in your actions. And that consistency of action will produce consistency of result. CONSTRUCTIVE VERSUS DESTRUCTIVE DISCIPLINE: Scientific management theory viewed discipline as a necessary means for controlling an unmotivated and self centered workforce. This big stick approach to management focused on eliminating all the behaviors that could be considered to conflict with organizational goals. Although this approach may succeed on a short term basis, it is usually demotivating and reduces long term productivity because people will achieve only at the level that they believe is necessary to avoid punishment. Constructive discipline usually results when rules are applied in a fair manner. On the other hand, unfair use of discipline, either in the application of rules or in the resulting punishment, is demoralizing and destructive. Constructive discipline uses discipline as a means of helping the employee grow, not as a punitive measure.

SERVICE RULES FOR EMPLOYEES

Short Title (1) Each school affiliated/to be affiliated with the Board shall frame Service Rules for its employees which will be as per Education Act of the State/U.T., if the Act makes adoption of the same obligatory, otherwise as per Service Rules given in subsequent sections.

12

(2) Service Contract will be entered with each employee as per the provision in the Education Act of the State/U.T. or as given in Appendix III, if not obligatory as per the State Education Act.

Appointments (1) All appointments to all categories of employees except Group 'D' employees as per Government of India gradation shall be made by the Managing Committee either by direct recruitment or by promotion through a Selection Committee constituted by the School Society/Trust and in accordance with and upon such conditions as the Managing Committee may decide, which shall be consistent with the norms of the Board/Government if statutory provision exists. Appointment of Group 'D' employees will be made by the Principal through constituted Selection Committee. (2) The Selection Committee shall include :(a) In the case of recruitment of the Head of the school : (i) The President of the Society (ii) The Chairman of the Managing Committee (iii) An educationist, nominated by the managing committee; and (iv) A person having experience of administration of schools, nominated by the managing committee; (b) In the case of recruitment of teachers and librarian: (i) The Chairman of the managing committee;

13

(ii) The Head of the school ; (iii) An educationist, nominated by the managing committee; and (iv) A subject expert. (c) In the case of recruitment of clerical staff/Lab. Asstt : (i) The Chairman of the managing committee or any member of the managing committee nominated by the Chairman. (ii) The Head of the school. (iii) Manager/Correspondent of the school. (d) In case of recruitment of class IV staff:(i) The Head of the institution ; (ii) A nominee of the School Managing Committee. (3) The Selection Committee shall regulate its own procedure and in the case of any difference of opinion amongst the members of the Selection Committee on any matter, it shall be decided by the trust or society running the school. (4) The appointment of every employee of a school shall be made by its managing committee. (5) Where any selection made by the Selection Committee is not acceptable to the managing committee of the school, the managing committee shall record its reason for such non- acceptance and refer the matter to the trust or society running the school and the trust or society, as the case may be, shall decide the same.

14

(6) Employees shall be appointed subject to the provisions of this agreement and they shall have to comply with all the requirements of the provisions contained herein.

26. Medical Certificate and Character Certificate etc. (1) Every employee shall be required to produce the following certificates on appointment in the school : (a) Medical certificate of fitness from a hospital established or maintained by the Government or local authority. (b) Two certificates from educationsts or any other respectable members of Society, not related to the candidate, certifying the character and conduct to the satisfaction of the school authorities. (c) Original degree/diploma, certificates along with certificate(s) of experience, if any; with attested photocopies thereof. Original certificates will be returned after verification.

Probation (1) Except in the case of a purely temporary vacancy or leave vacancy or for a specific post of temporary nature, every employee shall on initial appointment be on probation for a period of one year from the date of his/her joining the duties. The period of probation may be extended by the Managing Committee by a further period not exceeding one year. Services of an employee during probation may be terminated by the Managing Committee without assigning any reason by giving one month's notice in writing or one month's salary including all allowances.

15

(2) If an employee desires to be relieved during the period of probation, it will be necessary for him to give one month's notice in writing or one month's salary including all allowances unless and otherwise the Managing Committee permits relaxation under special circumstances.

Confirmation (1) If the work and conduct of an employee during the period of probation are found to be satisfactory, he/she will become eligible for confirmation on the expiry of the period of probation or the extended period of probation as the case may be, with effect from the date of expiry of the said period provided he/she fulfils other requisite conditions. (2) The employee shall be informed of his confirmation within 3 months of the completion of probation period.

Retirement (1) Every employee shall retire from service on attaining the age of superannuation as per corresponding categories of employees of aided/unaided schools of the State/UT concerned. (2) The Managing Committee may grant extension as per rules of State/UT if the employee has no mental or physical disabilities and his/her services are beneficial to the Institution. (3) The Board will be informed of such extension by the SMC.

16

Working Days and Working Hours (1) The working days and holidays will be as per State Government Schools or Kendriya Vidyalayas. (2) The working hours will be such as may be specified from time to time by the Principal. Normally the working hours will conform to the Kendriya Vidyalayas. (3) Working hours may be different for teaching and non- teaching staff as may be specified by the Principal. (4) As and when required an employee may be assigned any special duty even if it is to be done beyond the normal working hours in the interest of the school. (5) An employee is also required to conduct and organise co-curricular programmes and perform other duties even beyond the normal working hours. Number of Teaching Periods (1) Normally a teacher should be engaged as a whole-time employee except in special cases because of the nature of a subject where the work load does not justify a whole time teacher. (2) Every teacher shall devote in a year not less than 1200 hours to the teaching of students, out of which not more than 200 hours may be required to be devoted for the coaching in the school premises, of weak or gifted students, whether before or after the school hours. (3) Provided that if any teacher is required to devote more than 1200 hours to the teaching of students, extra remuneration shall be paid to him at such rate as may be determined by the managing committee, for every hour in excess of 1200 hours devoted by him to the teaching of students.
17

(4) In the case of an aided school, the extra remuneration referred to in sub-rule 32(3) shall be subject to the previous approval of the grant-in-aid authority to qualify for aid of 95 per cent of such extra remuneration; and in the case of an unaided recognised school, such extra remuneration may be recovered from the students at such proportionate rate as may be determined by the managing committee

Maintenance of Record by the Teachers (1) A teacher is expected to maintain the following documents and also any other record as may be specified from time to time : (a) Attendance Register of the class for which he/she is the Class Teacher. (b) Personal Log Book and Class Log Book, Programme of Instruction and Lesson Plans. (c) Cumulative result of his class. (d) Attendance Diary of optional subjects in case of teachers teaching such optional subjects. (e) Stock Register of properties held by him/her. (f) CRB (Cumulative Record Book) of the class for which he/she is a class teacher. (g) Fee collection book of the class.

Contributory Provident Fund Pension Scheme (1) Employees except those employed in temporary vacancies and on part-time service, will be required to become members of the Contributory Provident Fund Scheme as required under the employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous
18

Provisions Act, 1952 or shall be eligible for pension and gratuity if adopted by the school. (2) Those eligible for pension shall contribute to GPF as per Government Rules.

Representations (1) Representation to the Managing Committee, Chairman of the Society or Manager may be made only through Principal in case of teachers/other employees. (2) The Principal may submit his representation to Managing Committee/Chairman of the Society through his next higher up - Manager/Correspondent of the School.

Application for Another Post (1) No member of the staff shall apply for employment elsewhere without notifying through the Principal in writing to the S.M.C. which may grant such permission. (2) At the time of appointment each candidate will be required to declare particulars about all other applications he/she might have put in for jobs. (49)

Private and Other Tuitions (1) No staff member shall undertake private or any other tuition without prior permission in writing of the Principal/Head of the Institution. (2) Group Tuitions in the school shall not be allowed.

19

Leave (1) Every employee shall be entitled to such leave as are admissible to the employee of a corresponding status in Government schools. (2) Encashment/accumulation of leave shall also be allowed as per Govt. rules.

Grant of Leave (1) Leave cannot be claimed as a matter of right. (2) Grant of any leave shall depend on the exigencies of the institution and shall be at the discretion of the Principal/Manager. (3) Except in unavoidable circumstances, applications for leave in writing shall be made in advance, a letter or a phone message giving reasons should reach the Principal on the day of absence. When a phone message is sent, it should be confirmed in writing by the subsequent day. Merely applying for leave will not mean sanction, until and unless the leave is sanctioned by the sanctioning authority. Note : An application for leave or extension of leave should ordinarily be made in good time before the date from which the leave or its extension is sought. If any employee does not apply within seven days of the expiry of leave for further leave, or has been absent from the school without leave for ten school days, the employee may be deemed to have deserted his post.

Code of Conduct for Employees Every employee shall be governed by the Code of Conduct. The following acts shall constitute breach of code of conduct :

20

(i) Habitual late coming and negligence of duty. (ii) Use of abusive language, quarrelsome and riotous behaviour. (iii) Insubordination and defiance of lawful order. (iv) Disrespectful behaviour, rumour mongering and character assassination. (v) Making false accusations or assault either provoked or otherwise. (vi) Use of liquor or narcotics on the school premises. (vii) Embezzlement of funds or misappropriation of school property or theft or fraud. (viii) Mutilation/destruction of school records and property. (ix) Conviction by a court of law for criminal offence. (x) Possession in school premises of weapons, explosives, and other objectionable materials. (xi) Indulging in or encouraging any form of malpractice connected with examination or other school activities. (xii) Divulging confidential matters relating to school. (xiii) Obstructing other members of the staff from lawful duties and indulging in any sort of agitation to coerce or embarrass the school authorities. (xiv) Carrying on personal monetary transactions among themselves, with the student and/or with the parents. (xv) Taking active part in politics.
21

(xvi) Propagating through teaching lessons or otherwise communal or sectarian outlook or inciting or allowing any student to indulge in communal or sectarian activity. (xvii) Making sustained neglect in correcting class work or home work. (xviii) Taking private tuitions without permission of school authorities.

DISCIPLINARY ACTION: Issuing a letter of charge: When an employee commits an act of misconduct that requires disciplinary action, the employee concerned should be issued a charge sheet. Charges of misconduct or indiscipline should be clearly and precisely stated in the charge sheet. The charge sheet should also ask for an explanation for the said delinquent act and the employee should be given sufficient time for answering this. Consideration of explanation: On getting the answer for the letter of charge served, the explanation furnished be considered and if it is satisfactory, no disciplinary action need be taken. On the contrary when the management is not satisfied with the employees explanation there is a need for serving a showcause notice. Show-cause notice: Show-cause notice is issued by the manager when he believes that there is sufficient prima facie evidence of employees misconduct. However, this gives the employee another chance to account for his misconduct and rebut the charges made against him. Enquiry should also be initiated by first serving him a notice of enquiry indicating clearly the name of the enquiring officer, time, date and place of enquiry, etc.

22

Holding of a full-fledge enquiry: This must be in conformity with the principle of natural justice, that is, the employee concerned must be given an opportunity, of being heard. When the process of enquiry is over and the findings of the same are recorded, the Enquiry Officer should suggest the nature of disciplinary action to be taken.

Making a final order of punishment: Disciplinary action is to be taken when the misconduct of the employee is proved. While deciding the nature of disciplinary action, the employees previous record, precedents, effects of disciplinary action on other employees, etc., have to be considered.

When the employee feels that the enquiry conducted was not proper and the action taken is unjustified, he must be given a chance to make an appeal. Follow up: After taking the disciplinary action, a proper follow up action has to be taken and the consequences of the implementation of disciplinary action should be noted and taken care of.

ESSENTIALS OF A GOOD DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE: Every effort should be made to ensure fair and impersonal application of disciplinary measures. A good disciplinary procedure must incorporate the following points: I. There should be written statement of policy of the organization with regard to discipline, and this statement should be a part and parcel of the personnel policies. If an employees information booklet is provided, the statement should be published in it so that all employees know what constitutes misconduct. II. The rules and the reason for each rule should be clearly stated.

23

III.

The exact authority and responsibility for each should be explicitly defined in unambiguous language so that it is understood by all concerned.

IV.

All cases of misconduct should be dealt with promptly and firmly because delayed action in such cases would encourage indiscipline amongst the employees.

V.

All employees, whether holding high post or low, should receive equal punishment for the same misconduct. At the same time, disciplinary actions should be handled in a constructive manner so that harmonious relations are not impaired.

VI.

Disciplinary proceedings should be held in camera. In particular, supervisor should never be questioned in the presence of his immediate subordinates.

VII.

There should always be a provision for appeal in all disciplinary cases.

Common Types of Problem Behavior In general, problem employees fall into two categories: (1) employees causing problems, for example by starting fights or leaving early, and

(2) employees with problems, such as an employee whose money worries are a distraction from work.

Problem Employees: Those most likely to be encountered by supervisors are absenteeism and tardiness, insubordination and uncooperativeness,
24

alcohol and drug abuse, and Employee theft.

Absenteeism and tardiness This is an expensive problem. An absent employee may be paid for the time off, or replaced with a less productive person. Also, missing work is often a sign of a deeper problem. Such as a family crisis, anger about something at work, or Plans to leave the organization.

Insubordination and uncooperativeness Insubordination: Deliberate refusal to do what the supervisor or other superior asks. Poor performance may result from not understanding how to do something. This is corrected by training. Sometimes an employee performs poorly or breaks rules because he or she chooses to do so. This may be uncooperative behavior or deliberate refusal to do what he or she is told. Many kinds of negative behavior fall into the following categories: o General poor attitude criticizing, complaining, and showing dislike for the supervisor and organization

25

o Making an art out of doing as little as possible o Spending most of the day socializing, joking around, or moving as slowly as possible

o Regularly failing to follow rules forgetting to wear safety equipment or sign out at lunchtime

o Disregard for supervisors instruction to do something, saying it will be done later

o Sarcastic, hostile, or passive behavior which may be a symptom of an underlying problem

Alcohol and drug abuse


Some poor performance such as unsafe practices, sloppy work, or frequent absences may be a symptom of alcohol or drug abuse on or off the job. These employees are expensive to the organization. They can hurt the organization by lower productivity. They are more likely o to quit, o to cause accidents, o to have a higher use of disability and sick benefits, and

26

o To increase insurance costs. Characteristic Changes in Chemically Impaired Employees Changes in Personality or Behaviors Increased irritability with patients and colleagues, often followed by extreme calm Social isolation; eats alone, avoids unit social functions Extreme and rapid mood swings Euphoric recall of events or elaborate excuse for behaviors Usually strong interest in narcotics or the narcotic cabinet Sudden dramatic change in personal grooming or any other area Forgetfulness ranging from simple short-term memory loss to blackouts Change in physical appearance, which may include weight loss, flushed face, red or bleary eyes, unsteady gait, slurred speech, tremors, restlessness, diaphoresis, bruises and cigarette burns, jaundice, and as cites Extreme defensiveness regarding medication errors

Change in Job Performance Difficulty meeting schedules and deadlines Illogical or sloppy charting High frequency of medication errors or errors in judgment affecting patient care Frequently volunteers to be medication nurse Has a high number of assigned patients who complain that their pain medication is ineffective in relieving their pain Consistently meeting work performance requirements at minimal levels or doing the minimum amount of work necessary Judgment errors
27

Sleeping or dozing on duty Complaints from other staff members about the quality and quality of the employees work

Changes in Attendance and Use of Time Increasingly absent from work without adequate explanation or notification; most frequent absence on a Monday or Friday Long lunch hours Excessive use of sick leave or requests for sick leave after days off Frequent calling in to request compensatory time Arriving at work early or staying late for no apparent reasons Consistent lateness Frequent disappearances from the unit without explanation

The supervisor should note that the federal antidiscrimination law treats substance abuse as a disability, and companies should encourage the employee to get help. Any actions taken with regard to the employee should focus on work performance, not on the substance abuse itself. Since the supervisor is responsible for ensuring a safe workplace for employees and others, it means that if an employees suspected substance abuse is creating a hazard, the supervisor must act.

Employee theft
Employees take companies inventory, supplies, and money as well as steal time by giving the employer less work than they are paid for . A supervisor should take measures to prevent and react to theft. In addition

28

to organizational procedures, supervisors should carefully check the background of anyone they plan to hire. o They should make sure that employees follow all procedures for record keeping. o They should also build employees morale and involvement, make sure employees understand the costs and consequences of theft, and set a good example. o If a supervisor suspects an employee is stealing, he or she should report it to the boss and to the police or professional security consultants.

LEADERSHIP ROLES AND MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS IN DEALING WITH PROBLEM EMPLOYEES: Recognizes and reinforces the self worth of each employee and the role of successful work performance in maintaining a positive self image. Encourages employees to be self disciplined in conforming to established rules and regulations. Assists employees to identify with organizational goals, thus increasing the likelihood that the standards of conduct deemed acceptable by the organization will be accepted by the employees. Is self-aware regarding the power and responsibility inherent in having formal authority to set rules and discipline employees. Serves in the role of coach in performance deficiency coaching. Is self-aware regarding values, biases, and beliefs about chemical abuse. Uses active listening as a supportive tool in working with chemically and psychologically impaired subordinates but recognizes own limitations in
29

counseling and refers impaired employees to outside experts for appropriate counseling. Examines the work environment for stressors that contribute to substance abuse and eliminates those stressors whenever possible. Management functions: Clearly identifies performance expectations for all employees and confronts employees when those expectations are not met. Assigns employees to work roles and situations that successfully challenge or intermittently stretch the employee; does not allow employees to fail repeatedly. Seeks out and completes extensive education about chemical abuse in the work setting; provides these same opportunities to staff. Acts as a resource to chemically and psychologically impaired employees regarding professional services or aghencies that provide counseling and support services. Collects and records adequate objective data when suspicious of employee chemical impairment. Focuses employee confrontations on performance deficits and not on the cause of the underlying problem or addiction Works with the rule breaker, chemically impaired, and or marginal employee to develop a remedial plan for action; ensures that the employee understands the performance expectations of the organization and the consequences of not meeting these expectations.

30

COMPONENTS OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION PROGRAM Codes of conduct: Employees must be informed of the nature and meaning of codes of conduct. Agency handbooks, policy manuals, and orientation programs may be used. The staff nurse must understand that the rules are reasonable and directly related to efficient, effective operation of the agency. Authorized penalties: During disciplinary action, the personnel record should indicate that a fair investigation was made of charges before the assessment of guilty and determination of penalties. The agencys disciplinary action program should indicate that the current action is being administered without bias and is directly related to the offense. Records of offenses and corrective measures: Records are of utmost importance when disciplinary action is appealed. The personnel record should clearly indicate the offense, managements efforts to correct the problem, and resulting penalties. Right of appeal: Formal provision for the right of employee appeal is a part of disciplinary action program. Appeal beyond the supervisor ensures equitable treatment and encourages more employee acceptance of the disciplinary of the disciplinary process. At the same time, the fair supervisor need not fear a review of her actions by others.

31

Suggested Guide List of Disciplinary Actions # Offence Gross mistreatment First Infraction Dismissal Second Infraction Written Third Infraction Fourth Infraction -

1.

of a patient Discourtesy patient Insubordination Intoxication while on to

2.

a Oral

admonishment reprimand Written reprimand Suspension

Suspension

Dismissal

3.

Dismissal

4.

duty (this offense is Oral very prove) difficult

Written

to admonishment reprimand

Dismissal

5.

Use

of

intoxicants

while on duty Neglect of duty

Dismissal Oral

Written

6.

admonishment reprimand wilful Written reprimand dismissal Oral Written or Dismissal

Suspension

Dismissal

7.

Theft

of

damage of property

8.

Falsehood Unauthorized absence

admonishment reprimand Oral Written

Dismissal

9.

admonishment reprimand Oral Written

Dismissal

10. Absence of leave Deliberate

admonishment reprimand Written

Suspension

Dismissal

11.

violation Oral

of instruction

admonishment reprimand
32

Suspension

Dismissal

12.

Violation rules

of

safety Oral

Written

admonishment reprimand Oral Written

Dismissal

13. Fighting

admonishment reprimand Written

Suspension

Dismissal

14.

Inability to maintain Oral work standards

admonishment reprimand Written

Suspension

Dismissal

15.

Excessive unexcused Oral tardiness*

admonishment reprimand

Dismissal

*The first, second and third infractions do not mean the first, second, and the third time an employee is late, but the first, second, and third time that unexcused tardiness becomes excessive as determined by his department head.

Forms of punishment: Warning: Fine: Suspension: Discharge: Dismissal:

Warning: Creates a bad remark in the personnel file of an employee and is a sort of stigma in his service record. It includes oral and written reprimand.

33

Fine: Fine for misconduct. Based on payment of Wages act 1936; Maximum fine permitted to be deducted according to payment of Wages act 1936 is 3 paise in a Rupee from the employees salary. E.g. for a staff nurse (approx Rs. 26000 ), .03*26000= Rs 780/-

Suspension: An employee may be suspended pending enquiry. He could be also suspended as a punishment. No. of days of suspension should be based on the personnel policy of each institution. Discharge: If terminating, the management should give a one month notice with clear explanation. Service compensation at the rate of 15 days salary for every completed year of service to the employee. Dismissal: Personnel policies provide that no order of dismissal will be made unless the employee concerned is informed in writing of the alleged misconduct, domestic enquiry is held and charges are proved.

Helping the Troubled Employee The employee who abuses substances; who has an uncontrollable temper; or who is severely depressed is often an employee who creates disciplinary problems. Of course, it is the managers role to ensure that such employees are assisted and, if possible, rehabilitated, but the manager must refer such employees to appropriate agencies, provide them with leaves of absences, or arrange staff development courses.
34

The manager, however, should not become the troubled employees counsellor. The following goals and suggestions are helpful in dealing with troubled employees: 1. The goal is not to allow the employees personal problems outside the work setting to interfere with her performance. 2. Understand and refer for outside assistance and allow for change but do not lose your managerial role by becoming involved personally in problems over which you have no control. 3. Understand the difference between establishing a helping relationship based on trust, openness, and respect, and a therapeutic relationship that is based on therapeutic and professional counseling. 4. Do not allow friendship with the person, egos (need to help), and unclear delineation of the boundaries of your role interfere with taking appropriate action. 5. Refer the employee to someone who can help; show that you have faith in their ability to deal with the problem; and put limits on the time you will let the problem interfere with their work. 6. Remember that it is demoralizing for the remainder of the staff to work with employees who continue to be non-productive and perform poorly in their job. 7. Working with troubled employees can often take up so much of the managers time that the high performance employees are neglected. Disciplinary strategies for nurse managers: It is vital that managers recognize their power in evaluating and correcting employees behaviors. Because a persons job is very important to him or her- often as a part of selfesteem and as means of livelihood- disciplining or taking away of a persons job should not be undertaken lightly. The manager can implement several strategies to increase the likelihood that discipline will be fair and produce growth. The first strategy that the manager must use is to investigate thoroughly the situation that has prompted the employee discipline. A supervisor must investigate all

35

allegations of misconduct even if the misconduct is anonymously reported or appears initially to have no basis. To determine the appropriate level of discipline, the manager must investigate, document, examine the employees record, and look at the severity of the problem. The manager might ask the following questions; Was the rule clear? Did the employee know that he is breaking the rule? Is cultural diversity a factor in this rule breaking? Has this employee been involved in a situation like this before? Was he or she disciplined for this behavior? What was his or her response to the corrective action? How serious or potentially serious is the current problem? Who else was involved in the situation? Does this employee have a history of other types of disciplinary problems? What is the quality of this employees performance in the work setting? How other employees in the organization also experienced the problem? How were they disciplined? Could there be a problem in the rule or policy? Were there any special circumstances that could have contributed to the problem? What disciplinary action is suggested by the organizational policy for this type of offence? Has precedent been established? Will this type of disciplinary action keep the infarction from recurring? Most organizations have a clear policy about termination a other punishment procedures. To protect themselves from charges of willful or discriminatory termination, managers should carefully document the behavior that occurred and any attempts to counsel the employee.

36

37

You might also like