Do’s and Don’ts of Documenting Employee Performance and Behavior 2025

Overview

Documentation is the “fulcrum” of good employee relations. Lack of solid documentation is the single most common mistake employers make when handling discipline or terminations. Lack of or improper documentation impacts a myriad of HR issues; unemployment compensation disputes, workers’ compensation cases, and legal matters. Good records, on the other hand, can mean the difference between winning and losing a lawsuit. This webinar will examine not only what to document but how to document and, just as importantly, how to avoid issues with performance and behavior. Why Should You Attend: Most HR professionals recognize the importance of documenting employees’ performance problems. The chall...enge, however, is to teach managers how to document those issues in an appropriate manner and get them to actually do the documentation. The purpose of documenting performance problems properly isn’t just to protect the employer in case a worker files a lawsuit. It’s also to show the steps we’ve taken to help someone be successful. This is particularly important if the performance or behavior does not improve and leads to discipline and/or termination. Good documentation creates credibility for the employer by showing that employees are treated in a fair and consistent manner. Some common mistakes include: Making vague, unclear statements about what the employee needs to do to improve. Adding personal attacks or subjective comments. Providing little or no evidence to support decisions to discipline or terminate an employee. This webinar will examine the steps of documentation and provide a guide to better and more effective documentation. The steps include: Describe company expectations. Clearly state what the job description or the company policies require. Describe the behavior or performance that must change (or that you want to continue). Describe the conduct, not the individual. Having a two-way conversation shows the manager’s attempt to be fair and learn how to help the individual. Prepare a detailed action plan that the employee should use to improve performance. Set deadlines for correcting the behavior or performance. Describe the consequences if the behavior or poor performance continues, which may include discipline and/or termination. Avoid vague phrases that could provide grounds for discrimination lawsuits. Read more