Disciplinary

Employees must be made clearly aware of the standards of conduct and performance expected of them and we have set out the standards of conduct expected in our Code of Conduct for Employees.  A copy of the Code is issued to every new employee as part of the induction process. In addition there are rules and procedures covering areas such as health and safety at work, attendance and leave, bullying and harassment, use of Council equipment and performance.

Disciplinary procedures are one means by which shortcomings in conduct or performance can be handled. However, it may be possible to avoid formal disciplinary action if a problem is dealt with early and resolved promptly. In situations where there has been serious misconduct or a pattern of behaviour has developed over a specific period of time, there may be no alternative but to begin disciplinary action, and hopefully, if used positively this may prevent recurrence.

While it is important to deal with discipline issues fairly and effectively, we recognise that it is better to prevent problems arising in the first instance and will make every effort to do this through effective recruitment, induction, employee development, communication and mediation as well as working in partnership with the trade unions to address issues which give rise to disciplinary action.

The information contained within the "Other Sections" will explain the processes involved and what you are expected to do.

In addition to the Disciplinary procedures and the managers handbook, there are also some useful e-learning modules available on Learn on Line.

The module “Managing underperformance and conduct” provides guidance to help you take a more pro-active approach to dealing with conduct issues before they escalate.

The recorded webinar “Discipline – a Manager’s guide” provides an overview of the stages in the disciplinary process, including the role of key players. It also covers what to expect from a “good” fact finding as well as the skills required to effectively Chair a disciplinary hearing. This resource must be completed by anyone who is undertaking any role in the disciplinary process for the first time, including the role of Nominated Manager. It should also be used as a refresher for anyone who is currently involved in the process to ensure they are up to date with current practice.