The right way to give verbal warnings

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Terminating Without Fear - What Employers Need to Know

Verbal warnings are a reliable first step when trying to get people back on the right track without making a to-do of things.

But it can be a bit of a judgment call.

A non-specific verbal warning, such as "Bob, you need to dial up your attention to detail" probably isn't worth the time it'd take to make a written record of the interaction.

It doesn't say enough.

Instead, try: "Bob, today is the third day in a row you failed to put the extra washer on the thingamajig. You know that step's been added to the assembly process, and I've mentioned it to you several times, and it is mandatory. I'm going to be monitoring your attention to detail, and if you continue to make the same mistake, I will have to move on to the next disciplinary step."

After an encounter such as that, a manager should make a written note of the interaction - as precisely as possible - making sure to include exactly what the employee was told, the date and time of day. Also include the employee's actions or response.

The paperwork should be filed away, but since it is a written record of a verbal warning, it is not necessary to get the employee to sign off on the document at this point.

If the employee then fails to improve, the manager might begin a more formal process of progressive discipline.

And in the first write-up, the manager should refer to earlier verbal coaching: "As we've discussed on several occasions, your attention to detail ..."

If the employee claims he wasn't given prior notice that his performance or behavior was unacceptable, the manager has the earlier notes to fall back on, and can and should recount the specifics of those earlier interactions with the worker again.

DIGGING DEEPER
Managers too often let fears of legal repercussions cloud their judgment about pulling the trigger on terminations. For help, get the Executive Report: Terminating Without Fear - What Employers Need to Know

Comments

[Mary D.]

I tend to disagree with this article to a point. Under the process of Progressive Discipline, it is best to prepare a simple memo to the employee stating that on this particular date you were given a verbal warning about your inattention to detail..., the memo sould state that if this continues, disciplinary action will be taken. Also, have the employee sign off on the memo, give copy to the employee and place it in his/her personnel file. Then, the memo becomes part of the employee's record. If it becomes necessary to take further discipline, there is no argument of whether or not someone was warned. We use this process with union and non-union employees and it has stood up under both arbitration and court cases. I have never regreted documenting an act/behavior that could potentially result in discipline.

[Kerouac]

Once you prepare a "simple memo", it is no longer a verbal warning. Mary D's argument would appear to be against verbal warnings in general, not the author's advice on how to give one.

[John]

Actually, a "simple memo" is simply documentation of a verbal warning ina progressive discipline plan. I agree with Mary; having a signed acknowledgment of a verbal warning provides irrefutable evidence the conversation took place as described.

[Terry Folk]

Verbal warnings are just that. A verbal warning. There should be no simple memo involved.
The employee should be given the verbal action with a second person from management present. No signatures required in this step. You can put a note to file that this person received a verbal reprimand on such and such a date with the name of the second managment official who was present.
Not until the second step in the disciplinary process would you have an employee sign anything. Once the employee signs something it will become the second step or Written Warning phase of the program.

[Les Sutley]

I am in agreement with Mary D. concerning the preparation of a "simple memo" for the verbal warning step. The term verbal warning is only the name of the first step in a progressive corrective action process and does not describe what might be called "a good talking to" by some. All corrective actions must be documented with the offending employees signature attached to be presumed as fact. Without this type of documentation there is no proof that the conversation ever took place.

[Holland]

Consider documenting the verbal warning on a standard warning notice that is typically used when issuing a written warning. Discuss the warning with the employee. Explain that the discussion includes a verbal warning which is being documented; however, the employee is not being required to sign the warning notice, thus a verbal warning with documentation. It is suggested that a witness be involved with the mgr./supervisor when the verbal warning is issued. This person can sign the form as evidence of the verbal warning.

[J. T.]

Mary, John and Les have it right. You need documentation. I have changed the steps to "Documentation of Coaching" -- first step is neutral. Then progressive discipline beings with first written, then second, third and finally termination. NO verbal. Nothing for a slick attorney to hang onto, if it comes to that.

[Karen]

In my experience it has always been a lockstep part of the process to document verbal warnings. If what was said was not documented and signed by both parties how could the discussion ever be considered notice of a performance issue? It would be considered nothing more than a he said she said discussion. Verbal warnings are the begining of the performance improvement process and as such are less formal and structured than written warnings but are every bit as important.