How to discipline your employees

Employees-management conflict is a complicated and delicate issue. Concerned managers always try to find ways to strike a fair balance between giving employees their full rights but at the same time not losing their authority as managers.

I had a recent incident with one of my employees, I am his direct manager and I try to be to him as a mentor more than a manager, I was shocked when I ordered him to perform a task and his reply was “it can wait till the next week”, his answer really made me re-think my entire relation with my staff.

On my first day on my new consulting job, I have made it clear to my staff, most of them recent graduates, that I will adhere to an open door policy with them and they will get my full support in any efforts they take to gain more experience.

I will continue the open door policy with my staff but at the same time I will have a meeting with this one employee who failed to follow his manager’s order. In the meeting I will make it very clear that he has not respected his superiors and his action will have consequences. I will temporarily relief him from some of the responsibilities I gave him until I feel he is ready again to act in a responsible manner.