How do you ensure a professional yet fair approach to disciplinary action?
An HR professional is hired to be a professional advocate and voice of law and reason. The hiring company is not looking for a Human Resources Manager who will throw the hammer down or overreact when situations arise. Show the interviewer that you are capable of being diplomatic and fair while remaining effective in your role. If you have an example to give when you led employee disciplinary action, this is a great opportunity to tell a brief story about your real-life experience.
"In my experience, the most effective way to approach disciplinary action is to work with the employee on a performance plan, based on the fact that they are not meeting expectations. I like to solve an issue rather than put a band-aid on it. One time I had a sales employee who had missed their target two months in a row. Three months of missing targets meant automatic termination of employment. For this reason, we needed to get her back on track. We crafted a plan together, set her up with a senior salesperson for additional training and mentorship. Then, I checked in every week on her goals. She ended up being one of the top salespeople that year which was very satisfying to see."
