7 most common documentation mistakes landing companies in court
July 13, 2009 by Carol WarnerPosted in: Behavior, Communication, policies
Time-strapped managers wear several different hats over the course of a busy work day. With all of these responsibilities, it’s no wonder some tasks slide to the back burner.
But documentation is a task that has to be a priority every single day.
Truth is, in today’s lawsuit-happy world, most court cases are won — or lost — based on the thoroughness of documentation.
Here are seven common documentation mistakes — and the fixes:
- Not outlining company expectations. When documenting, supervisors should describe specific expectations so employees understand exactly what’s required of them. When the company’s expectations are recorded on paper, the employee knows exactly what was expected. And, if the company finds itself in court, good documentation provides evidence that backs up business decisions.
- Failing to state specific changes employees need to make. A solid paper trail outlines the conduct that needs to change. The best documentation focuses on the behavior rather than the person. Give detailed examples, so employees understand exactly what’s not working.
- Skipping the employee’s story. Of course, there are always two sides to a story. And good documentation records both the supervisor’s side as well as workers’ perspectives on the situation. First of all, including employees’ reactions may open up the lines of communication and solve a problem. And second, if you do end up in court, comprehensive documentation shows the judge that the manager made a good-faith effort to correct the problem.
- Not outlining the plan. Effective documentation is a blueprint, which maps out specific goals — and how employees are going to get there. For instance, if workers need to increase productivity, good documentation lists the specific steps employees should take to meet production goals.
- Forgetting to list possible consequences if improvements aren’t made. A solid paper trail lists the possible consequences if employees fail to make necessary improvements. For example, employees may be disciplined, demoted or terminated. One caveat: Don’t paint yourself into a corner by using absolute language — use “may” rather than “will” when listing consequences.
- Failing to establish a time frame. When creating a time line for improvement, managers should use a realistic time period. If the documentation lists an exact time frame — such as a 30-day performance improvement plan — then it must be followed.
- Not following up on documentation. Often overlooked, follow-up is a crucial part of documentation. Savvy managers use follow-up sessions to gauge progress, offer feedback and make further recommendations for continued improvement.
Tags: Discrimination, dol, eeoc, equal employment opportunity commission, HR, HR Training, performance, termination
July 15th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Mr. Giuliano,
I do enjoy reading the snippets of HR Morning but do find it extremely annoying when you cannot read all of a sentence due to it be cut off at the end of each line due to the advertisments. Can your web design team address this issue. I am sure there are other readers dealing with the same annoyance.
Thank You,
July 15th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
I completely agree with not being able to read the whole story.
July 15th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Amen to DCR’s comments. I am getting very annoyed with the sentences being cut off. I sure hope you fix them, or I will discontinue reading the articles.
July 15th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I am having the same issue and would love for it to be fixed! Thank you for bringing it up DCR.
July 15th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I also have that problem, and It is very annoying!
July 15th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Yes, I am also having the same issue. Very frustrating!!!
July 15th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
I also agree. I know others have mentioned it before.
July 15th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Ditto
July 15th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I’m having the same problem.
July 15th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
me too! it started a few weeks ago. very annoying.
July 16th, 2009 at 8:16 am
Ditto!!
July 16th, 2009 at 8:56 am
The same here – the last time I saw this I was trying to figure out how to fix it thinking it was on mey end. I would also appreciate being able to read all the words of the article. I wanted to print this one for future reference and cannot. Thanks so much.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:49 am
DITTO!!! DITTO!!! DITTO!!!
July 16th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
I had the problem a few weeks ago, but it self-corrected! Hope you all have the same luck. I love HR morning and was unhappy when I was having the problem. Now I can view every word and am happy again!!
July 16th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Mine hasn’t self corrected – still can’t read the whole line.
July 17th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Hello all,
Sorry for the inconvenience, and thanks for pointing out the issue. Our Web design team has looked into the problem and it should be corrected now.
If you’re still experiencing problems, please leave a comment and we’ll keep working on it.
We appreciate your help, and thanks for reading.
Sam Narisi
Contributing Editor
HRMorning.com
July 17th, 2009 at 10:58 am
I don’t have a problem reading the article, so it must be fixed.
Oh, the article was good. Just gave a training over the past two days to my supervisors concerning the very same topic area.
July 20th, 2009 at 8:30 am
yes it is fixed – thank you so much!
July 20th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Sam,
Thanks for getting this issue addressed. It is definately easier to read.