{"id":1111,"date":"2019-08-26T16:45:31","date_gmt":"2019-08-26T16:45:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=1111"},"modified":"2024-04-25T01:41:38","modified_gmt":"2024-04-25T01:41:38","slug":"the-purpose-of-discipline","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/chapter\/the-purpose-of-discipline\/","title":{"raw":"The Purpose of Discipline","rendered":"The Purpose of Discipline"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Discuss the purpose of discipline<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<img class=\"alignright wp-image-2350 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4056\/2019\/08\/11174710\/Screen-Shot-2019-11-11-at-9.46.49-AM-300x259.png\" alt=\"Decorative image.\" width=\"300\" height=\"259\" \/>\r\n\r\nEvery effective organization needs to establish, communicate and enforce standards of behavior and performance. Some employees will learn and adopt the organization\u2019s standards as a matter of course\u2014by observation, in conversation with management and peers, by referring to a code of conduct or employee handbook and other means. However, some individuals will disregard, fail to meet or otherwise refuse to adhere to established codes of conduct or performance standards. In these instances, it\u2019s essential to enforce desired behavior to avoid contaminating the culture and a domino effect where one dysfunctional employee derails a work group or department or, worse, prompts the departure of high-performance employees.\r\n\r\nIn it\u2019s active or verb form, discipline is defined as \u201c[training] (someone) to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.\u201d[footnote]\"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&amp;q=discipline\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Discipline<\/a>.\" Lexico. Accessed September 12, 2019.[\/footnote] Merriam-Webster puts the emphasis on \u201ctraining that corrects,\u201d and that is a key point; the purpose of discipline is not to punish, but to instruct and correct. As DeCenzo, Robbins, and Verhulst note: \u201cThe object of disciplinary action is not to punish employees, but to provide a consequence for an employee\u2019s undesirable behavior.\u201d[footnote]DeCenzo, David A., Stephen P. Robbins, and Susan L Verhulst. 2016. <em>Fundamentals of Human Resource Management.<\/em> New York, NY: John Wiley &amp; Sons.[\/footnote] That is, it is a necessary means to the desired end.\r\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\r\n<h3>PRactice Question<\/h3>\r\nhttps:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/43d2991c-b529-4595-98af-aac45e7dc631\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe point of discipline is to change behavior. Specifically, to change ineffective or negative behavior into effective, positive behavior. For example, if an employee routinely submits deliverables late, the goal of employer action is to get the employee to submit work deliverables on time. Similarly, if an employee\u2019s work product consistently fails to meet expectations, the goal of disciplinary action is to get the employee to improve work quality and perform to expectations. These are difficult\u2014but critical\u2014conversations. As discussed in <a href=\"..\/chapter\/why-it-matters-performance-management-and-appraisal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Module 9: Performance Management and Appraisal<\/a>, a failure to take action, that is, to have a disciplinary conversation, is a management failure that increases the likelihood that the employee will flounder and fail (be fired) and has ripple effects on team and business performance and morale.","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Discuss the purpose of discipline<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-2350 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4056\/2019\/08\/11174710\/Screen-Shot-2019-11-11-at-9.46.49-AM-300x259.png\" alt=\"Decorative image.\" width=\"300\" height=\"259\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Every effective organization needs to establish, communicate and enforce standards of behavior and performance. Some employees will learn and adopt the organization\u2019s standards as a matter of course\u2014by observation, in conversation with management and peers, by referring to a code of conduct or employee handbook and other means. However, some individuals will disregard, fail to meet or otherwise refuse to adhere to established codes of conduct or performance standards. In these instances, it\u2019s essential to enforce desired behavior to avoid contaminating the culture and a domino effect where one dysfunctional employee derails a work group or department or, worse, prompts the departure of high-performance employees.<\/p>\n<p>In it\u2019s active or verb form, discipline is defined as \u201c[training] (someone) to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"&quot;Discipline.&quot; Lexico. Accessed September 12, 2019.\" id=\"return-footnote-1111-1\" href=\"#footnote-1111-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a> Merriam-Webster puts the emphasis on \u201ctraining that corrects,\u201d and that is a key point; the purpose of discipline is not to punish, but to instruct and correct. As DeCenzo, Robbins, and Verhulst note: \u201cThe object of disciplinary action is not to punish employees, but to provide a consequence for an employee\u2019s undesirable behavior.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"DeCenzo, David A., Stephen P. Robbins, and Susan L Verhulst. 2016. Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. New York, NY: John Wiley &amp; Sons.\" id=\"return-footnote-1111-2\" href=\"#footnote-1111-2\" aria-label=\"Footnote 2\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[2]<\/sup><\/a> That is, it is a necessary means to the desired end.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\n<h3>PRactice Question<\/h3>\n<p>\t<iframe id=\"assessment_practice_43d2991c-b529-4595-98af-aac45e7dc631\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/43d2991c-b529-4595-98af-aac45e7dc631?iframe_resize_id=assessment_practice_id_43d2991c-b529-4595-98af-aac45e7dc631\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:300px;\"><br \/>\n\t<\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The point of discipline is to change behavior. Specifically, to change ineffective or negative behavior into effective, positive behavior. For example, if an employee routinely submits deliverables late, the goal of employer action is to get the employee to submit work deliverables on time. Similarly, if an employee\u2019s work product consistently fails to meet expectations, the goal of disciplinary action is to get the employee to improve work quality and perform to expectations. These are difficult\u2014but critical\u2014conversations. As discussed in <a href=\"..\/chapter\/why-it-matters-performance-management-and-appraisal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Module 9: Performance Management and Appraisal<\/a>, a failure to take action, that is, to have a disciplinary conversation, is a management failure that increases the likelihood that the employee will flounder and fail (be fired) and has ripple effects on team and business performance and morale.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-1111\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>The Purpose of Discipline. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Nina Burokas. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li><strong>Authored by<\/strong>: mohamed_hassan. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Pixabay. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/illustrations\/training-training-course-3185170\/\">https:\/\/pixabay.com\/illustrations\/training-training-course-3185170\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/cc0\">CC0: No Rights Reserved<\/a><\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Pixabay License<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section><hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-1111-1\">\"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&amp;q=discipline\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Discipline<\/a>.\" Lexico. Accessed September 12, 2019. <a href=\"#return-footnote-1111-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><li id=\"footnote-1111-2\">DeCenzo, David A., Stephen P. Robbins, and Susan L Verhulst. 2016. <em>Fundamentals of Human Resource Management.<\/em> New York, NY: John Wiley &amp; Sons. <a href=\"#return-footnote-1111-2\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 2\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":17,"menu_order":8,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"The Purpose of Discipline\",\"author\":\"Nina Burokas\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"\",\"author\":\"mohamed_hassan\",\"organization\":\"Pixabay\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/illustrations\/training-training-course-3185170\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc0\",\"license_terms\":\"Pixabay License\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"ca1ae379-dfda-486c-ba07-c14e9eff618a, 630f4ab1-3b02-493e-8242-0885526c19a6","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-1111","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":1100,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1111","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1111\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3395,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1111\/revisions\/3395"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/1100"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1111\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1111"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1111"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-humanresourcesmgmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}