Coaching and counseling. What’s the purpose?
Keeping it simple: The Three Tiers of documentation/ communication
Proper documentation? How important are the little details?
Progressive discipline: What is that?
Objective vs Subjective
Questions?
Ultimately, the goal of coaching and counseling is to improve associate performance, create adherence to policies and/or procedures, or to correct behavior that is not meeting expectations.
Tier #1: The expectation. This is what we are all judged on. The standard that is set.
Tier #2: How expectations or standards are not being met.
Tier #3: The expectation moving forward.
Everything we put on paper are legal documents that may be used in legal proceedings! The “little details” can and will be used against us.
It simply means that we are taking steps to make sure the associate is being properly trained, coached, notified, etc.
Objective means that we can measure it against a standard, and is more black and white. Examples include whether a task was completed, whether an associate clocked in on time, etc.
Subjective means that there is gray area, and can be influenced by outside factors. Examples include “being a team player”, the nature of someone’s attitude, etc. Things that cannot be easily measured.
So what are the expectations? They are in the handbook! When was the last time YOU read the Employee Handbook?
How do we know what is expected? How do we know the standards and policies and procedures?
Generally these are policy violations, substandard performance, unprofessional conduct, etc. By having communication, we are notifying the associate that they are not meeting our expectations.
We have reviewed the previously mentioned expectation, provided re-training if appropriate, and notified the associate that they are expected to meet the expectation moving forward.
What box to click on the documentation (counseling, 1st written, 2nd, final, etc.) can be tricky, but that’s why we are here!
All associates begin learning during orientation! Certain expectations are communicated during NHO, and they are also given a copy of the handbook. Departmental training also communicates standards and expectations.
Progression is important for many reasons. There will be exceptions, but please always check with HR on what has already been documented.