Ten Questions Commonly Asked
About Managing Employees
Jeffrey S. Hornsby PhD, SPHR
Professor of Management
Department of Marketing and Management
Ball State University
765.285.5306
jhornsby@bsu.edu
10. Is there not loyalty anymore?
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Pay issues
- equity
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Generation X
- 3 times more likely to change jobs
- Leadership by competence
- Result of the 90’s mentality that if you breath
you can have a job
9. Why doesn’t anyone want to
work around here?
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The motivation equation…
SV + TI + TS X Autonomy X Feedback = Motivating
Potential Score
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SV – Skill Variety
TI – Task Identity
TS – Task Significance
3
8. Why do my supervisors and
managers make so many mistakes
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Because they are thrown to the wolves
Interpersonal skills such as teambuilding,
communication, decision-making etc. can be
developed!
Managers/supervisors are often promoted because of
their technical competency and not their interpersonal
competence but yet their effectiveness as a manager
relies mainly on the interpersonal skills.
7.
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Why are there so many laws regulating
how employees are treated?
FLSA, NLRA, CRA (1964), ADEA, EEO, PDA,
ADA, FMLA, HIPPA, etc.
Laws are generally part of the job-as-property
doctrine and attempt to protect work as much as
possible
Be careful not to alter the employment-at-will
concept.
In the U.S., the Federal Government has
historically been proactive when it comes to
employee rights.
6.
Why don’t my discipline policies
hold up in unemployment hearings?
An inconsistent policy is not policy. This is
perhaps one of the most difficulty problems
for managers.
 An undocumented or poorly documented
issue is not an issue.
 Employees need to be educated on what the
policies are.

5. Why is your “gut” the wrong
instinct when hiring people?

The fallibility of the interview…
- It is a search for negative information.
- Positive but irrelevant information carries equal
weight to relevant information.
- The similar to me affect.
4. Why isn’t there any respect
for authority?
Position power versus expert and respect
(referent) power.
 Generation X and Y.

3. How can I keep my insurance
costs down…legally?
Modifiable claims.
 Wellness programs.

2. What does a human resource
manager do all day?

The role of the HR professional is
changing!
1. What can be done to enhance the
strategic value of the HR function?
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Become an internal
consulting service
Find out what goals
senior management
have and help them
achieve them
Senior HR
professional must sit at
the top management
table
Some Tools of the Trade
Job Analysis
Questionnaire
 Job Description
 Performance
Appraisal
 Handbook/Policy
Manual

Questions??????????????
Discipline...

Discipline should be viewed as a condition
within an organization whereby employees
know what is expected of them in terms of
the organization’s rules, standards, and
policies and what the consequences are of
infractions.
Discipline...

The basic purpose of discipline should be to
teach about expected behaviors in a
constructive manner.
How does a supervisor maintain
good discipline?
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The supervisor has the responsibility of informing
employees of the organization’s rules, regulations
and standards.
The supervisor must also ensure that employees
understand the purpose of the rules, regulations
and standards.
The supervisor should remind employees in a
friendly manner when their adherence to the rules
has become lax.
How does a supervisor maintain
good discipline?

Whenever possible, counseling should precede the
use of disciplinary reprimands or stricter penalties.
- Counseling helps develops an environment of openness,
understanding and trust.
- This should help encourage self-discipline.
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Supervisors must always follow the rules that
employees are expected to follow.
Supervisors must be consistent!
Frequent Reasons for Using
Discipline...

Absenteeism, Tardiness Loafing, Leaving
early, Sleeping on job, Assault or fighting,
Horseplay, Insubordination, Threat or
assault on management, Abusive language,
Falsifying company records, Theft, Conflict
of interest, Moonlighting, Negligence....
Frequent Reasons for Using
Discipline...

Damage to machinery or property,
Incompetence, Refusal of job assignment,
Participation in a prohibited strike, Use of
drugs or alcohol, Obscene conduct,
gambling, Abusing conduct, Violation of
health and safety codes, Poor performance,
Sexual harassment, etc..
Applying the Discipline
Procedure...

Predisciplinary Recommendation
- Each supervisor should become familiar with
the law and company practices/policies as they
affect disciplinary decisions.
- The supervisor should consult with upper
management or Human Resources when in
doubt.
» “Take a Partner”
Applying the Discipline
Procedure...

Predisciplinary Recommendation
- Accurate records must be maintained.
» The supervisor bears the burden of proof in
discipline situations!
- The supervisor should investigate before
disciplining.
» Do not assume the obvious!
» Consider the employees past work record,
statements by witnesses and any other evidence.
Applying the Discipline
Procedure...

Administering Formal Discipline
- Discipline should be progressive and corrective.
Initial corrective stages should involve
counseling and oral warnings while the final
stages involve written warnings, probation,
suspension and termination.
The Hot-Stove Rule...

Employee discipline is analogous to burning your
hand on a hot stove where...
1
The hot stove burns immediately.
Disciplinary policies should be
administered quickly. There should be no
question of cause and effect.
The hot stove gives a warning and so should
discipline.
2
The Hot-Stove Rule...
3
4
The hot stove consistently burns everyone
who touches it. Discipline should be
consistent.
The hot stove burns everyone in the same
manner regardless of who they are.
Discipline must be impartial. People are
disciplined for what they have done and not
because of who they are.
Supervisor Checklist for Effectively
Applying Discipline...
Be familiar with the law and past practices
of the company as they affect disciplinary
decisions.
 Maintain adequate records.
 Investigate rule infractions and mitigating
circumstances.
 Administer discipline as soon as possible.
 Precede formal discipline with a warning.

Supervisor Checklist for Effectively
Applying Discipline...
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Be consistent among employees.
Relate the penalty to the offense rather than the
person.
Administer discipline in private.
Warn the employee of the results of a future
violation.
Spell out discipline expectations and
consequences for infractions in company
handbook.
Benefits of Confronting the
Employee...
Maintains group standards. Performance
standards in the work group are maintained.
 Reduces fear. Employees may not know
how to cope with a problem. An effective
supervisor may be able to reduce anxiety by
listening and providing information about
assistance.
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Benefits of Confronting the
Employee...
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Improves relationships. Through open
communication, employees and supervisors
overcome feelings of uncertainty. The employee
knows where he or she stands.
Reduces costs. An employee who is offered
assistance is less likely to leave or exhibit
withdrawal behaviors.
Provides guidance. Supervisors may be able to
provide insights based on an organizational
perspective that the employee may be unaware of.
Planning the Counseling
Interview
Arrange the Time and Place
- Ensure enough time and protect privacy.
- Avoid emotional situations
 Review Documentation
- Collect performance appraisals, time
cards and other documentation.
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Planning the Counseling
Interview...
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Choose a Counseling Interview Format
Nondirective -- Utilized for problem
solving regarding nonserious performance
issues.
Directive--Utilized for serious issues such
as drug or alcohol abuse or insubordination.
Conducting the Counseling
Interview
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Describe the problem as observed and
documented.
Ask for an explanation.
Explain consequences.
Get an agreement to a solution or needed changes.
Conducting the Counseling
Interview...
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Get a commitment to change.
Summarize the meeting.
Follow up through continued support and
observation.
Legal Issues to Consider...
Employment discrimination
 Employment-at-will
 Employment contracts-Intentional and
Unintentional
 Consistent application of policies
 Documentation
 Investigations and Searches
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Any Questions????
Thank you for your attention!!!!