Compassion In The Workplace Achieves Better Results Than Discipline Management should consider being compassionate when dealing with employees and not too quick to institute disciplinary action under certain circumstances. Here's how to tell the difference.
By Jennifer de Mata •
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In light of the two posts that have been trending on social media over the preceding weeks, regarding employees getting to work on time, management should be mindful that there is a level of consciousness and kindness required in operating a business.
The one post highlighted the fear of an employee who stood to lose her job after receiving two written warnings for arriving late at work, due to the closure of the M2. The second post was one written by a CEO, who shed light on how the working class have to get up in the early hours of the morning and get into public transport, which is not always the safest or quickest route to get to work on time.
What the law says
From a labour legislation perspective, employers are reminded that every matter must be judged on its own merits and often leniency needs to be shown, dependent on the circumstances surrounding a particular transgression.
Whilst a disciplinary code provides guidelines for the sanctions to be imposed for certain transgressions, such guidelines are exactly that, and may be varied depending on the specific situation at hand.
Studies have shown that compassion within a workplace is arguably the most economically positive trait an entrepreneur can possess.
Following on from this, it therefore becomes more and more important to aim at increasing the quality of the collective lives working for your business, as well as creating a culture of understanding, humanity and team work.
Your success begins with your employees
The success of a business is highly dependent on the people that a business employs to help that business grow. Hence, it is imperative that when situations with your employees arise, such as late coming, cognizance needs to be applied to the circumstances surrounding the transgression.
It would be more productive for the employer to react with compassion, rather than the aggression of discipline in certain instances.
You need rules, not heavy-handed discipline
It goes without saying that no business can operate without rules, policies and procedures, which are implemented with the requisite business rationale, in order for organisations to function and thrive as profit making entities.
So, I am not for one second suggesting that staff members should be left to do as they please, with complete disregard for the company's rules.
I am, however, of the firm belief that employers and managers need to conduct their business dealings with kindness, compassion and respect at times, considering a transgression and its route cause in its entirety and not just the fact that a particular incident has taken place.
Employees are after all human beings, who are not infallible and analysing the employee's intent can very often assist in adopting the accurate measures to remedy a situation.
