The company I worked for had a training program for all managers on how to effectively have these discussions with employees. The steps were to:
1.) State the problem objectively
2.) Find out why the problem occurred
3.) Coach them through building a plan to correct the problem (their input is vital)
4.) Let them know the repercussions if it isn’t resolved
5.) Set a follow-up meeting
The follow-up meeting gave us a chance to either give positive feedback for fixing the problem or find out why it wasn’t working. In the latter case, maybe more time was needed. Maybe the plan of action didn’t work out and we were able to revamp it. Or in a few cases, it became a written or final warning.
It’s a really great process. With one employee, I found out that he was arriving to work almost 30 minutes late every day because his car broke down and he was restricted by the bus schedule. We were able to temporarily flip his schedule with another employee, and voilĂ , problem solved.
It’s time-consuming, but if the problem can be solved and positive feedback is given, it builds a bond between the manager and employee. Most team members just want to do well and be recognized for it. If it comes down to having to terminate an employee, then there is rarely any doubt on their part as to why this is taking place.
If it is a serious violation and/or against standards, and it could be proven that they committed it, they were terminated as soon as HR gave the nod of approval.