Employers sometimes have to do the difficult task of writing up an employee. They often exercise various other options, including warnings, before they ever get to formal write-ups. Many people don’t realize that the entire chain of employee interactions regarding issues at work is important.
Anyone who handles employee relations matters, including write-ups, should ensure they fully understand the importance of correct documentation. Consider these three points when you’re taking care of employee write-ups at work.
Document all warnings
All warnings, including verbal warnings, should be documented. This provides you with a chain to follow of all the employee’s issues at work.
Write out all the details
The write-ups should be detailed so they include all the essential information. Any proof of the incident should be included. Documenting any witness information is also important in case there are any questions about the matter.
Set the action plan
Write-ups let employees know what they’re doing incorrectly. As part of the write-up, you should also outline how they can correct the issues. This shows that you’re not trying to make the working conditions unbearable for the worker. If you set up actionable steps with deadlines, you can use those to gauge the employee’s improvement or stagnancy.
Employee write-ups can protect the company against some employment-related claims. It’s crucial that these are always handled properly, so working with someone who can help you to ensure you’re documenting things properly is beneficial. If a worker does bring a legal claim against the company, the write-ups and other documentation, may be beneficial in the defense of that claim.