Outline the different sequences and progressive levels of discipline that an employee can receive.

Employers use discipline as a tool to keep their workplaces productive and orderly. This should be an incremental process with the use of certain disciplinary steps before more harsh measures. To ensure that employees are treated fairly and in compliance with the law, employers must adhere to their policies and procedures.

Usually, the first phase of progressive discipline begins with a warning or verbal counselling. In this phase, an employer must explain why the behavior is unacceptable and what needs to be done about it. Employees should be instructed on ways to improve performance and behavior.

Written counseling could be the next step if verbal counselling does not produce any improvements from the employee. It could be a letter detailing specific expectations of future behavior or performance that are to be met within a specified deadline. If these expectations aren’t met, then additional corrective actions will take place.

If written counseling fails, then suspension without pay may be warranted as the next level of discipline depending on the severity of the infraction and past history of similar issues within that particular organization’s policy framework—or violations may even warrant immediate termination depending on circumstances such as multiple incidents involving serious rule-breaking or safety concerns.. Suspension times vary depending on the organization’s policies, but are usually between 1-5 days.

Depending upon company policy guidelines, other potential levels of discipline may include placing employees on probationary periods where they are monitored more closely by management for improved performance/behavior; transferring them to another department/location; demotions based on job performance issues; or implementing mandatory training programs which have been tailored specifically towards correcting underlying problems associated with employee misconduct..

Ultimately, disciplined employees need to understand that there is a consequence for failure to comply with organizational rules and guidelines set forth within their respective workplaces—and employers need to ensure that each disciplinary action taken is done so fairly according to established policies (which often includes documenting all related procedures).