Manager Certificate Series: Track 2

A Manager’s Guide to Discipline and Documentation

A key role for any manager or supervisor is to ensure employees meet the expectations for appropriate and lawful conduct at work. Dealing with problematic behavior and taking disciplinary action can be stressful. But simply ignoring or avoiding problems is not an option because it may signal to employees that inappropriate behavior is acceptable. And mishandling disciplinary issues may result in employee claims of breach of contract, wrongful termination, or discrimination and retaliation. Consistent and fair procedures, honest communication, and clear expectations can help managers deal with disciplinary issues in a way that improves behavior with fewer negative repercussions. This course explains the principles of effective employee discipline, including the concept of due process in the disciplinary procedure, and it describes how to respond to and document a disciplinary issue appropriately. Please note, however, that the course materials and content are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.

Duration: 30

A Manager’s Guide to Diversity, Inclusion, and Accommodation

Leading and managing employees in an increasingly diverse workplace can be both rewarding and challenging. What are the expectations of employees? What legislation applies to managing people and their requests? What are the consequences of failing to comply? Managers must operate with sensitivity in handling accommodations for disabilities, religious practices, and medical leave. This requires a basic understanding of anti-discrimination and disability legislation, as well as the employer’s policies. This course provides an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (as amended), the Family and Medical Leave Act, and other legislation that affects employers’ responsibilities in these areas. The course will help managers identify the situations where these laws come into play so that they can respond appropriately to specific requests. The information contained herein is provided only as general information that may or may not reflect the most current legal developments.

Duration: 30

Handling Difficult Conversations Effectively

The most effective managers know that, when faced with difficult conversations, the ultimate goal is to produce positive outcomes. While they can represent an emotional confrontation, these discussions can also be meaningful and constructive. This course identifies the common challenges of difficult conversations and explores the strategies that can be used to handle them. Challenges can include a subject who’s not willing to engage in conversation or who looks to place the blame on you. By using various strategies and techniques to overcome these challenges, you can keep the conversation on track, manage your emotions, and progress the conversation to produce positive outcomes.

Duration: 60

Monitoring and Improving Performance

Performance management is all about results. But how do you measure those results? What do you do with the data that you collect? And what do you do if you discover that some employees are underperforming? Unless you set targets that can be monitored and measured, you won’t know if your unit is doing well and you won’t know which areas need attention. This course shows you how to monitor and improve your employees’ performance using a four-step process that covers setting targets, collecting the necessary information, analyzing that information, and responding to performance gaps that appear. It first helps you identify appropriate targets and standards against which you can measure performance. It then introduces different ways of collecting the relevant data and shows you how to analyze the data and decide on appropriate action. Finally, the course presents a technique for dealing with underperformers in a positive and collaborative way.

Duration: 60

FMLA Leave and More: An Overview of Legally Protected Leave (Over 50 employees)

A sick child at home. An accident or injury. A death in the family. Notification to serve on the jury for an upcoming trial. Each of these events is part of life and can temporarily prevent an employee from being able to perform his or her job. Supervisors and managers often find themselves in the position of responding to requests for employee leave as they handle the company’s day-to-day operations. It is important for managers and supervisors to understand the basic guidelines for granting leave that are established by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and other laws. This course describes the family- and health-related situations that trigger an employee’s eligibility to take leave under the FMLA. It also explores the other types of leave which are protected by law and examines the criteria for leave entitlement. The information contained herein is provided only as general information that may or may not reflect the most current legal developments.