Large businesses often have HR specialists or even an HR department to oversee and coordinate their employee management policies and procedures. However, it is the line managers (and supervisors) who have the day-to-day responsibility for implementing various HR initiatives, such as:
Employee engagement;
Performance appraisal;
Performance-related pay; and
Workplace discipline.
Effective workplace discipline requires that line managers (and supervisors) are aligned to HR initiatives and have essential knowledge and skills in labor law and relations.
Understanding Your Line Managers and Supervisors
Line managers and supervisors have relatively lesser knowledge or skills in labor law and employee relations (compared to HR professionals);
They are more interested in learning how to achieve their operational goals and objectives;
They desire more flexibility in dealing with their teams and have their informal (or internal) set of rules in enforcing discipline;
They believe that HR professionals do not have a complete picture of their actual work processes and the dynamics within their team; and
They think that rigid HR policies and decisions are counterproductive and can lead to demoralization.
Understanding the Problem
Inexperience: Line managers and supervisors who lack experience and expertise tend
to be either too rigid or too dependent on HR professionals and lawyers in enforcing
discipline. This can result in a legalistic approach to employee relations.
Inconsistent: Line managers and supervisors often have many operational
considerations in mind when enforcing discipline. They become inconsistent in applying
the rules. Perceptions of favoritism arises, which may cause employee disengagement.
Informal: Line managers and supervisors find due process requirements in enforcing
discipline time- consuming and too cumbersome. They prefer a more personal
approach. However, this may expose the company to illegal dismissal cases.
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