What does a reprimand really mean?

A reprimand is a verbal or written warning that informs an employee that their behavior or work performance isn’t maintaining the standards you’ve set for your company. A written reprimand is often the preferred method from the perspective of both you and the employee. Essentially, a reprimand is a way to inform your employee that they are underachieving or behaving in a way that does not align with company expectations.

A reprimand does not usually include the termination of employment or reduction in salary for an employee. It is typically given after a verbal warning or meeting with the employee, during which you’ve already discussed the employee’s behavior with them in-depth. If the pattern continues without signs of change, you are allowed to reprimand the employee.

Reprimands are usually recorded in writing and may be included in an employee’s official file to be maintained throughout their employment within your company. This can prove helpful when tracking an employee’s behavior over time, and it can show you whether their unsatisfactory behavior has improved or remained the same. After you give a reprimand, an employee who continues the offending behavior is at risk for termination, salary decreases or suspension.

Related: Employee Evaluation Form

Best practices in issuing reprimands

Here are some tips to keep in mind when reprimanding an employee:

• • Provide a verbal warning first. When an employee acts in a way that you disapprove of, the best thing you can do is provide them with a verbal warning first. This helps build the relationship between you and your employee, allowing you the opportunity to discuss the issue with them and determine how the issue can be addressed without formally reprimanding them. It also gives the employee a chance to change their behavior before the issue is escalated.

• • Document everything.When reprimanding or preparing to reprimand an employee, it’s important to record all pertinent data related to the incidents. Take notes when an employee acts unfavorably and when you provide a verbal warning to them as a result. Recording an employee’s pattern of behavior will assist you in future confrontations with them, and you can use these records as evidence if the matter continues further.

• • Discuss the issues behind the potential reprimand.When you meet with your employee to discuss the issue, you may learn that they are struggling with health issues, experiencing relationship issues or are generally dissatisfied with their employment. While these are not excuses for inappropriate behavior, they may help you connect with your employee and determine an appropriate performance plan to improve their productivity in the workplace. You might realize that they may be a better fit in another role and be able to retain them as an employee without affecting their relationship with supervisors in the company. It’s possible that an increasingly stressful workplace can result in poor performance from normally productive employees, which is something that you as an employer can begin to fix.

• Reflect on company practices before reprimanding an employee. It’s easy to notice an employee’s declining performance or inappropriate workplace behavior. However, it takes more insight to reflect on the company, company policies and the behavior of your supervisors, noting how these concepts may be connected to your employees and their performance. For example, if a normally productive employee begins to produce work that is less than satisfactory, consider whether their workload may have significantly increased recently or that their team members are not contributing as much as they should be.

Related: Exit Interview Form

Employee reprimand FAQs

Reprimanding an employee can be a complicated topic that varies greatly depending on the situation and workplace. Here are some common questions people have about reprimands in the workplace:

How long does a reprimand last?

While some companies may keep a record of a reprimand in an employee’s file for the duration of their employment with that company, other employers may remove a reprimand from the file after a set period of time as long as there are no additional reprimands. You can choose what this period of time may be depending on the expectations of your company and your employees.

How do you reprimand an employee for poor performance?

As an employer, you want to provide your employees with a verbal warning before you officially reprimand them and document it in their file. To do so, you would schedule a private meeting with the employee and discuss the behavior or actions that you would like to see them improve.

At this point, you may implement an intervention plan to track this employee’s performance and behavior in the near future. If the behavior continues, you could complete a formal reprimand document stating the reason for the reprimand that also highlights the potential consequences for continuing behavior. This document is then delivered to the employee and signed.

What is a reprimand letter?

A reprimand letter is a formal official document written to an employee that states the reasoning for the reprimand itself. You should provide the reason for reprimand in great detail, and it can also help to suggest goals or timelines for employee performance in the near future. For example, you might state that the underperforming employee must meet their weekly quota within the next three months. You can then give them a copy of the letter to sign and acknowledge their understanding of the performance plan you’re setting for them.

Who can reprimand an employee?

Generally speaking, an employee’s immediate supervisor is most often the person issuing a reprimand. It is possible, however, that another supervisor or manager above the immediate supervisor reprimands an employee. Ideally, the reprimanding manager is a person with firsthand knowledge of the employee and circumstances surrounding the reprimand itself.