Many small business owners find it easy to praise, commend and congratulate employees who do well. There are a host of ways to do this from a simple tap on the shoulder or handshake, to a cash bonus, gift or plaque or certificate, or even a promotion in position and pay.
Commending an employee is a pleasant job.
But reprimanding an employee is not so easy. It can be an unpleasant task which entrepreneurs may try to avoid.
Moreover, the closely-knit, “one big family” atmosphere that most small entrepreneurs strive to build in their business makes it doubly hard for them to scold their people.
There are times, however, when it’s in the best interest of the business as a whole to do so. By keeping the reprimand as positive as possible, and by focusing on improvement of work and the employee’s potentially greater value to the company, reprimands can also be in the best interest of the employee.
Reprimands should never be general, vague or based on rumor. A manager should set up an appointment with the employee and gather factual, concrete information upon which the reprimand will be based.
It is important to reprimand an employee in a private one-on-one meeting, out of earshot of other employees. Remember, the objective is to correct, not humiliate the erring staff.
The following pointers from Technonet Asia’s Handbook for Women Entrepreneurs and The Voice of Small Business may be useful:
- Do not smile. It reduces the effectiveness of a reprimand.
- Do it promptly, right after the problem occurs. Never save all complaints and problems until the bag i full and then dump everything all at once on the person.
- Be specific. Specify what the person did wrong, what you observed and how that differs from what you expect. Give him a chance to explain himself but do not accept excuses.
- Tell exactly how you feel (i.e. surprised, angry, disappointed) about what he did or did not do.
- Give assurance that you value the work of the person in general. (You may discuss at this point the positive points in the employee’s work.) You are reprimanding him now for a specific action and not condemning him as a bad person or employee.
- Allow the employee to give his side. There is always a chance that allegations may not be true, exaggerated or have extenuating circumstances.
- If the explanation satisfies you, the issue should be closed for the time being — but it should be made clear that repeat of the misbehavior will not be tolerated.
- Once given, do not repeat the reprimand.