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Thursday, August 11th, 2011
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How long to retain warnings
For how long should we retain written warnings?
Reply
How long is less important than telling everyone for how long you will retain written warnings, and sticking to that policy. Some organisations retain all warnings for one year, some for the same length as the warning itself, but there is a good argument for saying that the warning should be destroyed as soon as it expires since the penalty has come to an end. I suggest you discuss this with your management team and employee representatives so that they devise a system that most people feel is just.
Whatever you decide, publish as part of your discipline procedure. You will need to have a system to ensure that warnings are in fact destroyed at the appropriate time.
Stopping charity collections
Several times a week there seems to be someone going round the office collecting or selling raffle tickets for some charity or another. This wastes a lot of time and anyway, from the look on their faces, some part-time people or youngsters who do not earn much resent this constant pressure. We do not want to be uncharitable, but can we put a stop to this practice?
Reply
Well, whatever I reply is sure to bring me a sack of hate mail, but the Learn Centre never fails its clients, so here goes. We pride ourselves as being a charitable society, but these days we seem to have charity overload. There is a limit to what we can give. Many people I know give generously but have reached the point where charity requests that come through the post go straight into the recycling bin, so you are not being unreasonable in wanting to stop this practice.
I suggest two main approaches. First make clear that you will limit collections or sale of raffle tickets to one per pay day, that anyone wishing to raise money in this way must have your permission, that you will draw up and publish a schedule of the charities concerned and either you will choose the charities or you will draw their names out of a hat. Second any collection will be made by passing, not taking, a box or bag around so that nobody can see what anyone else is contributing, and raffle tickets may be sold outside working time at fixed points such as the canteen or reception area.
I hope that this will demonstrate to your employees that you encourage charity but not at the expense of your employees’ comfort.
