An employee paid by the hour has a record of poor attendance
- Document the employee’s attendance, including absences (refer to LETS Report) and document “start” and “leave” times.
- Meet with the employee to discuss the ongoing attendance issues; provide dates and times of absences, late arrivals, or early departures.
- Describe the impact poor attendance has (e.g., on peers, work processes, project timelines, partner satisfaction).
- Ask the employee what s/he needs to do to meet expectations for attendance and punctuality.
- Let the employee know attendance is unacceptable and (if applicable) despite previous discussions you’ve had about attendance, s/he has yet to show significant or sustained improvement.
- Let the employee know that repeated attendance problems will result in disciplinary action based on severity of impacts (e.g., to partners, peers, work processes).
- Restate your expectations for the employee’s attendance, punctuality, or calling in to communicate absences or tardies.
- Continue to document attendance violations in case formal counseling or disciplinary action is taken.
Employee claims s/he is singled out or unfairly compared to other employees
- Get informed: Ask the employee for specific examples and/or observe the workplace.
- Resolve any discrepancies in how you hold others accountable or treat your employees.
- Restate your expectations for the employee’s performance and interactions with others.
- If appropriate, let the employee know you’re addressing performance issues with others but cannot share details of those conversations, just as you would not tell others about any performance issues with the employee.
- Discuss ways for the employee to meet expectations or handle challenging situations more appropriately.
- Let the employee know you are available as a resource if needed.
- Let the employee know that s/he has the right to file a complaint if s/he believes this is potentially a case of discrimination.
- Reflect on your own possible unintended biases regarding this employee and how they might be impacting your actions.
Employee yells or speaks negatively or disrespectfully to co-workers or partners
- Document the interactions and the employee’s behaviors you observed (date, time, what was said).
- Let the employee know right away what you have observed (“I have observed you .…”). If relevant, share feedback from others without divulging the source. If the behavior is being reported by others, consult with your HR Division Partner on the best way to proceed.
- Describe the impact the employee’s words or behaviors may have had on others, on work processes, on morale.
- Let the employee know what actions, words, or behaviors are NOT acceptable in the workplace.
- Describe ways the employee could interact more professionally with others and ways to defuse anger or manage stress.
- State your expectations for immediate change and zero tolerance for disrespectful and unprofessional behaviors.
- Let the employee know that a repeat of the inappropriate behaviors may result in disciplinary action.
Employee yells at the supervisor
- Tell the employee to stop yelling; remain calm and professional (even if you have to fake it).
- Ask if the employee wants to take a break before discussing the issue (this is NOT permission to go home); defer the discussion if you yourself are not ready to talk with the employee. Reconvene as soon as possible to address the issue and the employee’s concerns.
- Ask the employee to clarify concerns; request facts, details, specifics to get a full picture of the concerns.
- Respond with what you can or cannot do at this point in time; what Berkeley Lab policies or rules must be followed; and what you personally will do to resolve the issue.
- Restate your expectations for conduct in the workplace.
- Document what occurred (what, when, response) and put it in the desk file you keep on the employee.
- Depending on the severity or frequency of the incident(s), you may want to seek advice from HR about formal counseling and/or discipline.
Employee accuses you or others of harassment or bullying
- Immediately end the discussion and tell the employee that you will be referring the concern to HR.
- If the employee tells you to “forget it”, DON’T!!!!, Berkeley Lab is legally bound to address the situation.
- Immediately seek out the assistance of your HR Division Partner.
Employee has not improved performance or behavior despite previous coaching discussions
- Refresh the employee’s memory of how many times you have addressed the same issue (refer to your documentation).
- Let the employee know that without improvement, you will need to begin the corrective action process.
- In a counseling memo, restate your expectations for change and improvement with a timeline (if appropriate).
- Send a copy of the counseling memo to your HR Division Partner for review and approval before discussing with the employee.
- Put a copy in the desk file you keep about your employee.
