The use of disciplinary measures in training in a South African work place
Date
2015
Authors
Govender, Sagel
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Disciplinary processes and punishment serve as methods which organisations use to maintain correct behaviours, improve performance and to ensure compliance with standards and rules which assist them to achieve set goals. However, views on discipline, performance management, individual and human resources processes such as industrial relations incidents (incapacity, strikes), are different. Due to the intense competitive nature of the South African retail industry, various strategies can be adopted to gain the competitive advantage and to ensure organisation success. This can include the use of formal disciplinary measures in organisation training.
This study aimed to assess the potential efficacy and impact of disciplinary measures in South African workplace organisation training. A qualitative study was conducted on recipients‟ and observers‟ of discipline in training, to assess their perceptions of the use of discipline in training at a retail setting. Data was collected from 18 participant in depth interviews of which 7 were recipients and 11 being observers. Interviews were analysed, and thereafter categorised and placed into themes.
The study entailed viewing the use of discipline in training in a complex manner that takes into account the cognitions and reactions of all parties involved in the process.
Results of the study illustrated that although recipients and observers view the use of discipline in training as being effective with positive outcomes, both groups also experience the disciplinary event as being unfair and highly emotional with more negative than positive effects. The results also demonstrated how observers tried to make sense of their observation and the inherent implications it had for both themselves and their group.
The study can help organisations develop an effective and efficient system of using disciplinary measures in training. Different disciplinary outcomes can be influenced by the way the punished employee and the observer think and feel in response to a certain disciplinary event. Managers may have to be trained on how to consider and understand the social effects of using discipline in training, which can result in more positive effects for all employees within the organisation.
Description
MBA 2015
Keywords
Labor discipline -- South Africa,Personnel management ,Employee motivation ,Organizational learning