Verbal warnings are just that...kind of

Question: I recently gave an employee a verbal warning about his tardiness to work. Do I need to do anything else? ~Reid S. Jacksonville Fl

Answer: Verbal warning are just that verbal. Its the employer letting the employee know that he's headed toward trouble and to get his act together. This verbal warning can be given formally or informally with the ultimate hope that the conversation will not have to be repeated again.

But, as we all know verbal warnings usually spiral into more progressive disciplinary measures including termination. This is when having a paper trail of all of those "verbal warnings" comes in handly. Employees quickly forget those talks. Both managers and employeed give fuzzy accounts of what the conversation entailed if they can even agree that the "verbal warnings" happened in the first place.

A good manager or business owner always makes that verbal warning talks concrete by documenting them. This doesn't actully make the offense a written warning. Those terms only describe the level of serverity and/or the level in the disciplinary system that the employee has reached.

This also does not have to be a laborsome process. If your organization does not have a form to record verbal warnings, simply create your own or compose an email and send to the employee.

 All you really need to include is the employee's name, the date and time of the conversation, the location, and of course the counselling manager's name. Then summerize what the employee warned of, future consequences and any response that the employee may have offered.

 If you choose to record on paper, make sure to give a copy to the employee. They don't need to sign it, but you will want to note that they received a copy of the summary. Then immediately file a copy in the employee's human resources file.



Have a human resources, training, or management question you'd like answered? Email the question to us at connect@evolutionhr.co.

When Violence Strikes at Work

When workplace violence hits the headlines, its every HR professional’s and business owner’s worst night mare. This week in Connecticut, during a workplace murder suicide, 9 employees lost their lives. In light of this tragedy, many employers are wondering what can be done to prevent or reduce the likelihood that a similar incident will not occur at there business.

It’s not often that workplace violence makes the news, but incidents of workplace violence still occur even if they don’t catch the attention of major media outlets. According to Bureau of Labor Statics, workplace homicide is the fourth leading cause of fatal occupational injury in the United States. Additionally in 2005, the last year the survey was completed, there were 564 workplace homicides. With numbers like these, it’s understandable why businesses are concerned.

While there is no way to completely eliminate the risk of workplace violence, there are some practical measures that organizations can take to reduce the risk.

Implement pre-employment screenings appropriate for your organization. At a minimum screenings should include a criminal background check including local and nationwide traces. Other screenings may also be considered based on the type of business and the work the potential candidate will perform.

Take action to secure the building. Contracting or employing unarmed security guards can lend a feeling of security for employees and also help to diffuse possibly violent situations. Security should always be alert or nearby during terminations and disciplinary meetings. Security guards can also make rounds around the building and walk employees to their cars when it is requested. Other options to consider include security cameras and monitored alarm systems.  

Require employee id badges and limit access to the building. Require employees to prominently wear company issued picture id badges while on company property. The building can also be secured by requiring an employee id badge to enter the building. Id badges can also be used to restrict access to certain areas of the building (i.e. Human Resources department), to a limited number of employees.

Effectively manage site visitors. Direct visitors to a central location, ideally to the security station, to log there name, purpose of visit, employee they are meeting, time of visit and later time of departure. Provide visitors with a name badge that should be worn prominently, which identifies them as a visitor. Visitors should also be escorted by security or an employee at all times during their visit.

Encourage employees to report workplace safety concerns. Employees can provide valuable information regarding threats to workplace safety. These concerns are not only limited to observations from co-workers. If an employee is being stalked or has been threatened by a significant other, this information should be reported. The employer can then respond appropriately to assist the employee in remaining safe while at work. Complaints should be kept confidential and free from retaliation.

There are many preventative steps businesses can take to reduce the chances of workplace violence occurring in their organization. The key is to remain dedicated to promoting a safe environment for employees, clients and customers.

Does your organization have a workplace violence policy? A critical step to prevention is having a policy and to address the issue of violence at work. DocSourceNow, your premier destination for HR forms, policies, procedures and training, has a comprehensive workplace violence policy ready for download. Visit our website today!

Employment Verification: Getting the Information You Need

For potential employers, completing an employment verification for a new hire is a logical step in the hiring process. However, obtaining an useful employment verification can be a frustrating process.


Past employers are hesitant to release detailed information, the information that is most important to new employers such as performance history and disciplinary history. If you're lucky most will only release generic information such as employment dates and position title. To make matters more challenging, the ability for new employers to probe and ask follow-up questions is decreasing as many companies will direct requests for employment verification to automated phone systems.


If by chance you are able to make direct contact with a human resources representative when attempting an employment verification, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of obtaining some useful information.


1. Be considerate of the persons' time. HR professionals are busy and responding to requests for employment verification are not at the top of the to-do list. This is especially true if the employee has already left the organization or has announcing their resignation. The needs and demands of current employees will take priority. To compensate for this factor, be courteous and to the point with your inquiry. Ask the HR representative for no more than ten minutes of their time and get their acceptance before you proceed with the employment verification. Remember to thank the HR representative for taking the time to speak with you.


2. Know what to ask. Employers are rightfully tight lipped when it comes to providing information regarding employees. If the employer representative says the wrong thing, the company could could be slapped with a defamation of character lawsuit.  Preparing an employment reference form or checklist which includes information that employers are likely to provide, will help guide the conversation.


3. Offer alternative methods to respond. The timing of your phone call might not be the best time for the human resources representative to speak with you. Alternatively, offer to  mail, fax or email the employment verification form so that it can be completed at a more convenient time. If you elect to send the employment verification form by mail, including a self addressed and stamped envelope will increase your chances of having the employment verification  returned.


4. Follow-up. HR professionals are usually inundated with mail, emails and phone calls. If your employment verification request has not been completed within seven business days, don't take it personal. Simply follow-up with a quick reminder via email or phone. Don't over do it though. If you have followed up twice with no response, it can safely be assumed that there will not be a response. At this point, you would want to proceed with your normal hiring procedure as not to loose a great candidate. 


With these simple tips your future employment verification attempts should yield increased results.