A Balanced Approach to Employee Development, Discipline and Recognition

by Stacey Lett, Regional Manager – Eastern U.S. – Proactive Technologies, Inc.

Most of us have experienced an unbalanced approach to employee management. Often supervisors or managers are quick to react to a negative incident, but slow to recognize and respond to a positive one. In parenting, not making sure each child is trained properly to ensure they can perform tasks correctly to meet expectations throws recognizing and disciplining he child into questionable territory. Not certain on which child can/should be able to meet expectations, disciplining teens like you would your youngest can condition them to behave as such. Maybe a stretch for some to see the connection of this with managing adults, most should be able to see where I am going.

Policy manuals are full of examples of behavior not acceptable to the company. Everything from coming to work late to confrontations with fellow employees. Once one of these events is noted and recorded, it hangs over the employee through their career with the company, often given more weight than anything positive even if it was recorded.

Two little attention and recognition is paid to positive events, such as ensuring the work area is always clean at end of shift, a coworker being a very thoughtful and thorough trainer, or a worker that is quick to jump in wherever needed to ensure quotas are met. Rarely are positive issues spelled out in a policy manual to guide supervisors and managers on how to motivate and encourage employees when they exhibit stellar behavior as examples to others.

This could be why morale often sinks in busy production environments. Supervisors and managers are pushed to run a tight ship, and are often penalized themselves for taking a few minutes to acknowledge the type of behavior company management should want to see more of from employees. This could be one reason why employees burn out.

Companies that are a little more laxed in their enforcement of the negative behaviors that are punishable see a decrease in organizational tension. Those that are clear and deliberate about their policies, providing structured on-the-job training pathways for each individual’s career development, and those encouraging more recognition of positive behaviors, tend to be the type of company’s employees want to stay at and refer to their friends who may be seeking employment. Increases work quality, increased worker capacity, increased worker productivity and increased morale lead to decreases in employee turnover, employee scrap and rework – a simple formula for maximizing an organization’s success and return on investment.

Companies that have lost this continuity through years of neglect can still get back on track. All the pieces are there, just needing realignment. This doesn’t seem like a brainstorm. Running organizations with military precision when workers are waiting for basic training extracts bitter feelings and encourages burnout.

When it comes to conversations about how to find, develop, motivate and retain workers, so that supervisors and managers can drive excellence, taking a moment to assess the state of internal worker policies and programs can lead to a more balanced approached that supports the other organizational goals.

If you recognize these challenges and have shed your fear of even looking for other solutions, check out Proactive Technologies’ structured on-the-job training system approach to see how it might work at your firm, your family of facilities or your region. Contact a Proactive Technologies representative today to schedule a GoToMeeting videoconference briefing to your computer. This can be followed up with an onsite presentation for you and your colleagues.