It is essential to promote and maintain employee discipline for higher productivity and industial growth

PCMS-BBA HRM 5TH SEMESTERDiscipline

It is essential to promote and maintain employee discipline for higher productivity and industrial growth. A disciplined work force can meet the challenge of competition and can achieve organizational objectives in better way. Discipline improves morale and labor relations and promotes co-operation among employees. Discipline implies orderliness. It means adherence (obey) to rule regulations, procedures and standards of acceptable behavior to achieve goals.

Discipline may be considered as the force that promotes individual or groups to observer rules regulations standard and procedures deemed necessary for an organizations. The main objectives of discipline are as follows-

a) To gain willing acceptance of the rules regulations standard and procedure of the organization from the employees.

b) To develop the feeling of cooperation among the employee.

c) To maintain the good industrial relation in the organization.

d) To promote morale and efficiency among the workers.

Cause of indiscipline

a) Ineffective leadership

b) Lack of well define code of conduct to guide behavior on both sides

c) Faulty supervision

d) Bias of favoritism in disciplinary action

e) Lack of timely redresser of employee grievancesf) Lack of promotional opportunities causing a feeling of stagnation.

g) Inadequate to attention to personnel problem

h) Victimization and excessive work measure

i) Uninteresting work

j) Drunk ness and family problem

k) Low wage and poor working condition.

l) Political and trade union influences.

Types of disciplinary problems

Disciplinary problems can be various types they are grouped into four categories

1) Attendance related problems:Late for work

Absenteeism

Leaving work without permission

Abuse of sick leave

Failure to report accidental injury

2) On the job behavior related problems

Insubordination (refusal to obey orders)

Failure to obey safety rules

Defective works

Not reporting accidence

Drunk on the job

Gambling on job

Fighting on job

Drug use on job

Destruction of property

Carrying unauthorized weapons on the job

3) Dishonesty related

TheftEmployees falsify information on employment application

Subversive activity; such as terrorism, punching time card of other employee

Canceling defective work

4) Outside activity related

Unauthorized strike

Working for competitive forms

Outside criminal activities

Embarrassing speeches

Disciplinary ActionsThe procedure for taking disciplinary actions involves the following steps-

1. Preliminary investigation: First of all a preliminary inquiry should be held to find out whether any case of misconduct exists.2. Issue of a charge-sheet: Charge sheet is merely a notice of the charge & provides the employees and opportunity to explain his conduct therefore charge sheet is generally known as a show case notice. In the charge sheet each charge should be clearly specified. There should be a separate charge for each allegation & charge should not relate to any matter which has already been already upon.

3. Suspension: in case the charge is grave a suspension order may be given to employee along with the charge sheet.4. Notice of enquiry: in case the worker admits the charge in his reply to the charge sheet the employer can go ahead in awarding punishment without further inquiry. But if the worker doesnt admit the charge the employer must hold enquiry to investigate into the charge .proper and sufficient advance notice should be given to the worker indicating the date time & venue of the enquiry so that the worker may prepare the case.5. Conduct of inquiry: The enquiry should be conducted by an impartial & responsible officer. He should proceed in a proper manner & examine witness. Fair opportunity should be given to the worker to cross examine the witness.

6. Recording the findings: On the conclusion of the in inquiry the inquiry officer should record his findings &the reasons thereof. As far as possible he should refrain from recommending punishment & leave it to the decision of the appropriate authority.

7. Awarding punishment : The management should decide the punishment on the basis of findings of the inquiry past record of the worker & gravity of the misconduct.

8. Communicating punishment : The punishment awarded to the worker should be communicated to him quickly. The letter of communication should contain reference to the charge sheet. The inquiry & the finding. The date from which the punishment is to be effective should also be mentioned.