Importance of Disciplinary Procedure in Modern Organisations - Example

DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES/ PRACTICES OF A GOVERNMENT/ PRIVATE SECTOR IN A SPECIFIC COUNTRY Name: Course: Professor’s Name University Name City, State Date due INTRODUCTION The document provides for practical guidelines that can be used to draw up disciplinary procedures and understand their importance and implementation in organizations. The procedures aims to control the employees wherever they are employed regardless of their position in the organization, gender, age or size as they work in the organization. It will help understand the importance of disciplinary procedures as they are set in the modern organization and how they affect the day to day activities and performance of the organization. The study will also seek to identify how disciplinary procedures have been adopted by a modern organization and how the organization has implemented the disciplinary procedures to improve on their profitability and overall business performance [Edi09]. Importance of Disciplinary procedure in modern organisations Disciplinary procedures are important in modern organizations as they assist in promoting fairness, creating order and provide individual proper treatment and ensure that the conduct of industrial relations are properly done. When there is order in the organization, they are able to enhance efficiency in production and delivery of goods and services. Procedure helps to ensure that standards are adhered to and provides for a fair method of dealing with alleged failure. In a society based set up where intellectuals reside and are free to air their view, opinions and emotions disagreements and emotions are likely to flare bearing in mind that people are of different character from diverse backgrounds, religion ,races and even nationalities brought together to pursue and work towards achieving goals that are formulated by the company’s management. Rules and procedures that are well outlined should be spelt out to enhance a smooth running of day to day endeavours of the organisation. In addition to that for the dispute resolution to work in an organisation, the management has to bring on board the employees in formulating the policies The staff charged with the mandate of ensuring that disputes are resolved amicably and in a just way. It’s unlikely that any set of disciplinary rules can cover all situations that may arise [Ant07]. Challenges that HR managers face in dealing with implementing Disciplinary procedure/practices in organisations Human resource managers play a great role in ensuring maximum capitalization of human labour to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization. Human Resource department place a great role in outlining and explaining the rules and obligations of the staff and make them appreciate them as necessary for the smooth running and effectiveness of the organization. Criminal offences; if an employee has been charged in a court of law the human resource department may or may not consider to suspend the particular employee as long as it does not affect their performance at work or does not tarnish the image of the organization. Especially if it is a highly dependable employee with particular unique skills which no other staff member has they may reconsider to wait for the courts verdict and retain the employee until when the court makes a ruling. The department has the mandate to ensure that the employees are not distracted from carrying out their duties as what has befallen may affect them morally and psychologically [Son01]. Discrimination, bullying and harassment these are significant issues in an organization that are clearly and concisely outlined in most of the organizations if not all of them. Senior employees tend to undermine the juniors for various reasons such as; to undermine them, to safeguard their territory and spheres of authority to neutralize competition and worse still for sexual favours [Jon06]. It unconsciously leads to division among the employees especially in groups that have same interests which in most instances are a digression from the objectives of the organization. In the case of sexual harassment most ladies shy of from reporting the harassment to their bosses for fear of stigmatization and the notion that no action will be taken by the relevant authority. It’s up to the human resource manager to create a good rapport with all the employees so that they can be at will to share their woes with their authorities [Mal13]. Discipline is vital in every department in an organisation. Employees are of different characters, different temperamental and different upbringing. It calls for a calm and willed manager who has the patience to accommodate all the persons in the organization for the good and welfare of the company. When it comes to dealing with discipline issues the management should try the informal methods that is calling aside the affected party and having a chat with them and trying to find a solution at a personal level. In the case of a conflict between the staff an independent may be sought to reconcile the warring parties. The mediator may recommend a way forward if both parties agree that they want a lasting solution to the conflicting issue. Consider the reasons that are being laid out by the employee for their conduct. They have to consult their representatives especially if one belongs to a trade union [Son01]. LITERATURE REVIEW Paul, (2009) argues that discipline is a vital requirement in every organization. Discipline must be kept high at every time to ensure that the organization is united both in the employees’ duties and in the reasoning and act towards the delivery of the objectives of the company [Pau09]. For discipline to be achieved in the organization, rule and regulations need to be drafted to help control every individual in the organization. While drawing up the procedures some of the important factors that should be considered include fairness, rights and freedoms of the employees and avoiding discriminatory clauses [Pau101]. Marjorie & Lisa, (2007) is of the opinion that an employee may not be dismissed at first instance of indiscipline. Disciplinary rules and procedures have been recognized in the Employment Protection. An adjudicator hears the issue and determines the complaint of unfair dismissal, they take into account any provision of the code and its relevance before coming to a just conclusion that the employee has acted in an unreasonable or reasonable manner before being dismissed [Mar072]. According to Jeff, (2009) hen drawing up rules, regulations and procedures, the aim should be to specify clearly and concisely spell out the rules that are necessary for the efficient and safe performance of work and for the maintenance of good relations between the employees and the management. The rules should not be so general to be meaningless. It’s the obligation to of the management to make sure that the employees read and understand the rules this can be done through availing copies of the rules to the employees and explaining them orally to them [Jef09]. According to Amy, Lisa, & Janet, (2003) employees are a key for the success of every organisation as they improve the image of an organization to its clients and even go out of their way to make the goals of the organisation achieved. The human resource department has to trend cautiously not to affect and demoralize the working spirit of the other employees [Amy03]. They have to come with a mechanism that will ensure that as long as they carry out disciplinary measures the affected employees do you not incite the other staff. Certain employees belong to various trade unions and organizations which have different goals, objectives and missions when it comes to protecting the interests and welfare of the employees. The human resource department comes in to discipline employees who do not abide by the rules and procedures of the organization the trade unions do intervene and in most instances worsen the situation. Bob, Allan, & Alan, (2001) proposes that the human resource managers should be bestowed the obligation to carry out the investigations into claims affecting an employee. The manager has to come up with a good case to warrant suspension and putting the organization time and money into resolving the dispute [Bob01]. The overall managers may decline into putting the organizations funds and time into the investigations this limits the performance of the human resource managers, whose role and obligation is ensuring utmost performance by the employees. An investigative manager may be appointed with aid of a human resource team to investigate the allegations to ensure that the matters are handled fairly, reasonably and in compliance with the current legislation without biasness. Investigative interviews must be conducted as part of the process to establish whether disciplinary action is warranted .The employee facing the allegations will be asked to attend the investigatory interview at which they may be accompanied. Witnesses will also be interviewed. It takes a lot of time to investigate and interview the employees which costs time and money for the organizations. According to American Institute of Chemical Engineers, (2011) absence is a costly affair for the organization. A distinction should be made between absences for reasons which may call for disciplinary action. Frequent absences should be investigated and if there are no acceptable reasons then it should be treated as a conduct issue and dealt with under the disciplinary procedure. It’s the manager’s obligation to follow the due process when dismissing an employee from long term health issue. Its most logic for the employee to terminate the contract but the doctrine of frustration should not be relied upon by the employee since most courts are generally reluctant to apply it where a procedure exists for the termination of the contract [Ame11]. Case Mehdi Foods Company is a food and beverage serving organization that has its headquarters in Oman. The organization is privately owned and has its major activities in Muscat. Currently, the products that are offered by the organization include snacks such as chips sticks and natural potato chips. Lately, Mehdi Foods Company has introduced the Orienta brand into their market which provides fresh juices and drinks in the market. With reference to their products, Mehdi Foods Company usually targets the children and youth around the Oman country [Ric093] The company analysis shows growth in the company from the time of incorporation to date. The company has managed to increase the market share given that is has been facing a lot of competition from other companies because it has managed to take up the very limited opportunities to their advantage. Mehdi Foods Company faces a number of opportunities and problems that it has managed to work with for the better growth of the company. The major factor that has allowed Mehdi Foods Company to grow it the fact that they have recognized the importance of the employees and why it is vital to ensure discipline is encouraged within the organization for all members [Jos07]. Involving employees in the process of drafting the rules and regulations and the type of punishments that should accompany every rule broken. Due to the diversity of Mehdi Foods Company, the management has set out rules from the top that should be implemented across all the stores that operate under Mehdi Foods Company. However, some of the rules and regulations set by the managers may not be applicable in the different retail stores across the different countries, thus the management has allowed the stores to set their own rule, regulations and punishments that would be more acceptable to all employees in the organization. Since Mehdi Foods Company focuses mainly on service delivery, the employees need to be properly trained on the importance of ensuring they maintain discipline in the organization [Ric01]. Recommendations Employees should be part of the rules and regulations setting process as it will allow them to take up liability where they breach the rules and regulations that they themselves set. When setting the rules and regulations, the employees should also determine the punishments that should be imposed in any instance where they break the rules and regulations. Such considerations will allow fairness and personal liability on the employees’ side during their tenure as employees of the organization. The employees should also sign as they begin their contract of work so as to have an agreement that they understand the rules set and that they will accept the punishments imposed on the rules in case a breach occurs. CONCLUSION The employees of any given organization have been identified to be the major determinants of performance of every division in the organization and for the organization as a whole. The rendering of services is mostly determined by how the employees interact with the consumers. A satisfied consumer will always go back to enjoy more of the services that are offered in the organization and in most cases are likely to bring more customers with them. It is therefore, crucial for the employees to consider discipline in their work places and ensure that it is kept in the highest possible levels. Discipline in the work place will ensure that employees provide the customers with the highest quality of services and with that ensure that the company enjoys maximum profits. The discipline procedures set should however be fair to all employees to avoid any form of discriminations or misunderstandings among them. REFERENCES Edi09: , (Editors of Adams Media, 2009), Ant07: , (Anthony & Henri, 2007), Son01: , (Sonja, 2001), Jon06: , (Jonas & Andreas, 2006), Mal13: , (Malcolm, 2013), Pau09: , (Paul, 2009), Pau101: , (Falcone, 2010), Mar072: , (Marjorie & Lisa, 2007), Jef09: , (Jeff, 2009), Amy03: , (Amy, et al., 2003), Bob01: , (Bob, et al., 2001), Ame11: , ( American Institute of Chemical Engineers., 2011), Ric093: , (Richard, et al., 2009), Jos07: , (Joseph, 2007), Ric01: , (Richard & Allan, 2001), Read More