Counseling and
Counseling Memos
Training Objectives
The purpose of this training is to provide supervisors
with:
 Techniques for providing feedback, coaching, and
counseling to employees.
 An overview of the counseling process.
 Guidelines for counseling sessions.
 Guidelines for writing an effective counseling memo.
 An overview of relevant contract provisions.
If an employee is not performing to expectations,
it is your responsibility as a supervisor to
address the matter.
All employees should have a current Performance Program.
If you are addressing any task not meeting standards it must
be listed on the Performance Program.
Ignoring the situation will only escalate it and
often leads to other problems, such as:
• Your workload will increase.
• Unit morale may be adversely affected.
• The employee might not see the problem.
Feedback
A large part of what you are asked to do as a supervisor is to
complete tasks and achieve goals through others.
• You can compare a supervisor at work to a coach in a sporting event.
o The coach doesn’t actually play in the games, but is ultimately
responsible for the wins and losses.
• Counseling is one of the most important things you will do as a supervisor.
o Guide and redirect employee behavior
o Identify and address areas of concern
o Serve as a tool for continuous improvement.
• What many people think of as “Counseling” most likely will not be the first
step you take in addressing employee behavior.
o In most cases you will first provide feedback and coaching to your
employees.
Feedback
Keys to effective feedback:
• Your feedback should be timely.
• Provide feedback in private.
• State the performance or behavior observed.
o
Be specific, descriptive and factual (e.g., "This letter has
six typos“).
o
Avoid generalizations or judgmental language.
Feedback
Keys to effective feedback (cont.):
• Explore the situation with the employee.
o Give the employee a chance to discuss the issue from
their perspective.
• State your expectations clearly.
o Avoid ambiguous or non-specific terms.
• Give the employee an opportunity to correct the behavior
or work performance.
Coaching
After providing initial feedback to the employee, the
performance issue may be resolved. If it isn’t, then coaching
may be appropriate.
Coaching is similar to feedback but is more focused on
identifying why the employee isn’t meeting performance
expectations, and finding a solution.
• The focus is on problem-solving
• Offers suggestions to resolve the underlying issues behind
performance problems.
Coaching
Coaching Examples:
Problem
Coaching Suggestions
• Written reports have typographical
errors and misspelling.
• Use spell-check; have a co-worker proof-read;
organize your workstation to focus on only
one project at a time.
• Work is not done on time.
• Compile a daily "to-do" list; prioritize duties;
approach supervisor about workload.
• Forgetting or losing phone numbers,
meeting notes, etc.
• Use a daily log; use only one phone memo
log.
Supervisor Notes
Don’t Ignore the Situation
• Do not assume that time will resolve the problem.
• It is essential that you identify unacceptable behaviors and
give the employee an opportunity to correct them.
• Keep notes about any feedback or coaching discussions.
Supervisor Notes
Keep Notes
• Use a calendar or similar log.
• Keep track of feedback and coaching sessions and other
meetings with employees.
• Keep track of when an employee is late or absent.
 Be sure to track positive performance and improvements as
well!
• Store your notes in a secure and confidential location where
no one else could potentially access them
o
o
If any action (such as counseling) has been taken within the prior year,
any related notes should be properly transferred if you are promoted,
resign, etc. Otherwise, you should destroy the notes.
*Notes that go back more than a year should be shredded.*
Sample Supervisor Note
“Monday, April 4, 2016 – Lisa arrived at 8:42, 12 minutes late;
she didn’t settle into her workstation until 9:05. I called her into
my office at 9:15, informed her that she was late, and that we
needed her to be at her workstation, ready to work, at 8:30.
She said she "had a long weekend," and was sorry. I
reminded her that being on time was important. Her response
was, "I know, you don’t have to remind me." I told her I would
be watching for her to improve.”
Supervisor Notes vs. Official File
Supervisor notes WILL NOT be admissible during any formal
process:
• For any notice of discipline or appeal of an evaluation, the only file that
will be reviewed and referenced is the official employee file in Human
Resources.
o
Everything in the official file has been presented to, and signed by,
the employee (if the employee refuses to sign, refer to the contract
for protocol) and can be reviewed by the employee by appointment.
• If you did not present a counseling memo (which is constructive, not
punitive) to the employee, you will not be able to reference those
behaviors and interactions to support a notice of discipline or an
unsatisfactory evaluation.
• You must be able to verify that the employee was made aware of the
behavior and given an opportunity to correct it. The only acceptable
verification is the content of the official employee file in HR.
Counseling
If performance problems do not improve after
feedback and coaching, you may need to proceed
to counseling.
Counseling
Counseling is an effort on the part of the supervisor
to provide significant feedback, positive or negative,
regarding on-the-job activity.
• Counseling is not discipline
• Counseling is meant to be constructive:
Assists in employee development by teaching or
modifying behavior
o Counseling is viewed as a supportive supervisory
means of communication
o
Counseling
Counseling should not be confused with Discipline.
• Counseling attempts to correct performance through faceto-face communication and problem-solving.
• Discipline attempts to correct performance by penalizing
the employee, and must always involve Human
Resources.
o
o
o
Punitive: addressing misconduct or incompetence
May carry a penalty, from a letter of reprimand up to termination
Is a formal process:
-
HR is involved
-
Investigation
-
May involve charges and/or a Notice of Discipline (NOD)
When to Counsel
Assess the entire situation before you begin counseling.
When you see that established standards for performance
and behavior are not being met by the employee, ask yourself
these questions to help you to determine if it is an appropriate
time to counsel:
•
•
•
•
Is the behavior significant?
Is a pattern developing, or has one already developed?
Does the behavior affect the employee’s ability to get the job done?
Does the behavior affect the employee’s co-workers’ ability to get their
jobs done?
• Does the behavior affect your (the supervisor’s) ability to get your job
done?
• Are there other employees with similar or worse records? (Check your
notes.)
Counseling
It important to note that once you address a specific
behavior with a corrective action, you will not get a
second opportunity.
• An employee cannot be counseled and disciplined for the
same offense.
• If an employee does something inappropriate and you give
them feedback, coaching, or a counseling memo for it, you
cannot go back and give a notice of discipline for that same
occurrence of the behavior.
• You must give the employee an opportunity to correct
the behavior.
• If you have questions, utilize your chain of command and
consult the contract before you counsel.
Counseling
Do not pass Go, do not collect
$200… Proceed directly to
counseling memo or discipline
In some cases, it may be necessary to move directly to a counseling
memo or notice of discipline without providing feedback or coaching.
Such situations may include, but are not limited to, illegal, unethical, dishonest or
highly inappropriate activities such as verbal or physical assault, accepting a bribe,
insubordination, theft, or destruction of property.
•
If you encounter any illegal activity, threat, or risk to life or property, contact UPD
immediately.
•
If the situation is less urgent, use your judgment, your chain of command and the contracts.
o
•
If you speak to an employee about any situation or concerns, you must give them an
opportunity to improve before you take any further action.
In cases of discipline, HR will be involved because it is a formal, contractual process.
Counseling
Effective counseling begins with planning and scheduling!
Effective counseling does not happen by accident. It is a
planned, organized process characterized by the following:
• Consistency
o
All employees are held to the same standard – the same rules apply
to everyone.
• Timely
o
Counseling occurs as close to the incident(s) as possible.
• Accurate
o
o
Be factual.
Keep notes.
• Constructive
o
o
Counseling is corrective, not punitive
Counseling is meant to help the employee identify reasons for poor
performance, and ways to improve.
Planning the Counseling Session
Determine who will be present for the counseling session
before you speak to the employee.
• Counseling is most likely to be productive when it is a private conversation
with just the employee and the supervisor.
Many employees will ask that they be accompanied by a
union representative during a counseling session.
• If the counseling session is only between the supervisor and the
employee, you do not have to allow union representation.
• If more than one supervisor or a representative of HR will be present, the
employee must be allowed to have a union representative.
Planning the Counseling Session
When planning the counseling session:
• Define your objectives for the session – what do you hope to
accomplish?
• Have all documentation available and review the facts.
• Make an outline to be sure you cover all the points of concern.
Scheduling the counseling session:
• Arrange for a place where you can meet in private.
• Verbally inform the employee. Let the employee know what the
meeting will be about, as well as where and when it will be held.
Do this in private and in person.
• Schedule the meeting on your calendar - Mark the date on your
calendar so there will be no scheduling conflict.
The Counseling Session
Set the proper tone
• Welcome the employee.
• Tell the employee he or she is here for a counseling session
and explain the purpose of the meeting.
• Be yourself. Act in a manner consistent with your normal
demeanor.
• Try to control your emotions and reactions: remember, a
counseling session is a problem-solving session. You are not
there to attack or punish the employee.
• Focus on the behavior of the employee, not the employee’s
"character" or "morality.“
• Don’t use judgmental language.
The Counseling Session
Clearly describe the problem
or improvement opportunity.
Stick to the facts. Avoid sharing opinions and don’t get
personal.
• Be direct and clear.
• Talk about the behavior you have observed.
• Describe the problem in concrete terms, using specific
examples.
• Explain how the employee’s behavior affects others.
• Explain rules, policies, and expectations regarding performance.
• Make sure the employee understands what is expected in the
future.
The Counseling Session
Identify options for correcting the situation.
Once you have established a rapport with the employee by
identifying the problem area, explore ways to improve or
correct the situation.
• Encourage the employee’s suggestions for correcting the situation.
• Make the employee aware of available resources, such as EAP,
eligibility for FMLA, etc.
• Establish a performance improvement plan with the employee.
• Include clear expectations and a date for a follow-up session.
• Reinforce expectations.
The Counseling Session
Ask, then listen:
• Counseling is not one-way – it is a two-way, face-to-face
communication:
o
o
o
Be sure to give the employee ample and reasonable opportunity to
respond.
Ask open-ended questions.
Ask for the employee’s response, and pay attention to the
employee’s perspective on the situation.
• Keep an open mind during the counseling session:
• If the discussion reveals your information was incorrect, or the
employee’s explanation is satisfactory, say so to the employee.
The Counseling Session
Minimize conflict during counseling
Here are some things you can do to minimize conflict:
• Use good judgment.
o
Stay calm; do not yell or scream.
• Listen
o
o
o
o
o
o
Let the employee talk. Listen and don’t interrupt.
Pay attention to the employee’s side of the story.
Look for the root cause of the problem.
Keep the conversation focused on the issue you are counseling the
employee about.
Show sincere interest in working with the employee to resolve the
problem.
If you can help, offer it. If you offer it, do it.
The Counseling Session
Take notes during the counseling session.
If you have properly prepared for the counseling session,
you’ll have your "plan of action" in front of you.
Take notes during the dialogue.
Notes are invaluable; they can:
• Refresh your memory about what occurred in the session and
the actions upon which you and the employee agreed.
• Help you summarize the session with the employee.
• Form the basis for the counseling memo, if you have decided a
memo is appropriate.
The Counseling Session
At the conclusion of the counseling session, review and
summarize key points from the meeting.
• Try to end on a positive note, focusing on the future.
Remember, this is a corrective process.
• Summarize the meeting to ensure understanding.
• Inform the employee if you plan to document the counseling
session with a Counseling Memo and place the memo in his
or her personnel file.
 You must inform the employee during the session if the
session will result in a Counseling Memo.
The Counseling Session
When counseling an employee, the supervisor has determined
that discipline is not appropriate; therefore, the employee is not
a "target of discipline".
However, if during the counseling session the employee does
disclose information which would warrant disciplinary action, the
supervisor must halt the session.
If you are unsure what action to take, it is usually best to halt the
session.
• Indicate that you need to look into the situation further
• Seek advice. Questions should be directed to your supervisor or
Human Resources.
The Counseling Memo
Decide whether or not to write a counseling memo.
The last step in the counseling process is to decide whether or
not to write a counseling memo.
When deciding whether or not to write a counseling memo,
consider whether any of the following apply:
• Previous counseling has failed to bring improvement.
• You have little or no confidence that the employee will correct the
problem without further encouragement.
• The seriousness of the situation requires it, or a multi-step plan for
improvement is designed and a memo will serve as a written
confirmation and reminder.
The Counseling Memo
A counseling memo is a structured account of the
counseling session:
• What was the behavior or issue being addressed, and its
impact?
• What was said, and by whom?
• The memo summarizes the performance improvement
process and notes when the follow-up session will be held.
***You must tell the employee***
You must tell the employee during the counseling
session if you will be writing a counseling memo which
will be placed in his or her personnel file.
After the Counseling Session
What you do after a counseling session is just as
important as what you have done during the session.
After the counseling session, follow these guidelines:
• Document
• Immediacy
• Continue to Monitor Performance
.
After the Counseling Session
Document
• Prepare a memo, if appropriate.
• If a memo is not written, it is important that you keep your
notes.
o
You may need to recall the employee’s behavior and
what was discussed at the session.
o
You may need to refer back to these notes if the
behavior does not improve and another counseling
session is required.
After the Counseling Session
Immediacy
• Whatever you decide to do after a counseling session, do it
immediately following the session. Your thoughts will be
fresh and accurate.
o
Even waiting one day can cloud your recollection of the
session.
• Remember to schedule the counseling session in such a
way that allows you time to either draft a memo or prepare
notes immediately after concluding the session.
After the Counseling Session
Continue to Monitor Performance
• Maintain a supervisory eye on the employee. The purpose
of the counseling session was to set expectations. Now is
the time to monitor the employee’s performance.
Writing the Counseling Memo
Detail the meeting information. It should be detailed enough
that a third party, unfamiliar with the situation, could read it
and understand what took place.
• In your opening paragraph, detail when and where you met, who was
present and the purpose of the discussion.
Note the background information:
• Describe what led to the need for a counseling session.
Include a clear description of key points:
• State the problem in specific terms.
• Describe the effect of the behavior: on the employee’s performance, on
others and on operations.
• Write down the performance standards of the employee’s job.
• Detail what you expect the employee to do to rectify the situation.
The Counseling Memo
Include the employee’s response to your concerns and any
explanations given.
Note what will happen if performance does not improve.
In the closing paragraph, note the following:
• The timing or date for a follow-up meeting.
• Names of those persons who will receive a copy of the memo, including
indicating that a copy will go in the employee’s personnel file.
Be sure to sign the memo.
Present the memo to the employee in person and ask the employee to
sign it to acknowledge receipt of the memo.
• Explain that signing does not mean that they agree with the memo.
• The employee can submit a rebuttal later -- see Page 15 of the GOER
Supervisor’s Guide to Counseling for specific contractual provisions and
employee rights.
The Counseling Memo
What to Avoid When Writing a Counseling Memo
Check your counseling memo for any of these common errors
or oversights:
•
•
•
•
•
The memo is not timely.
The memo is not dated.
The memo is not directed to the employee.
Slang and/or street terms are used in the memo.
The preparer uses vague terms or terms such as "most of the
time," "allegedly" or "supposedly.“
• The memo does not include the response the employee gave
during the counseling session.
More…
The Counseling Memo
What to Avoid When Writing a Counseling Memo (cont.)
Check your counseling memo for any of these common errors
or oversights:
• The memo includes statements that threaten "further disciplinary
action.” Counseling is not a disciplinary action and the word
"further" implies that is.
• The memo is not specific or strays from the topic of counseling.
• The memo doesn’t include further expectations.
• The memo is not clear or understandable (would someone without
prior knowledge of the situation be able to understand it just by
reading the memo?).
• The memo is not signed by the preparer.
The Follow-up Session
Be sure to schedule a follow-up session with the
employee.
The follow-up session has two major purposes:
• Acknowledge performance that has improved
• Address performance that has not improved.
The Follow-up Session
If the employee’s performance has improved, during the
follow-up session make sure to:
• Acknowledge the improvement
o
Let the employee know that you recognize and appreciate
the effort he or she has made.
• Listen to the employee.
o
Let them know that if they think there may be anything that
prevents them from continuing with their improved
performance, they should feel free to let you know.
The Follow-up Session
If the employee’s performance does not improve, during
the follow-up session make sure you:
• Review the previous counseling session (from your notes and/or
the counseling memo).
• Describe insufficient improvement with specific examples and
ask the employee to explain.
• Listen and discuss solutions. Discuss what will happen if the
unacceptable behavior continues. Set a new follow-up date.
• Summarize the session and offer assistance.
***If during the initial session you decided not to write a
counseling memo for the personnel file, prepare one now to
confirm the follow-up session. Make sure you tell the
employee that you are preparing a counseling memo.***
Common Mistakes
There are some common mistakes that a supervisor can make
when planning to counsel an employee, which can have an
adverse effect on the outcome of the session:
• Not checking with your supervisor or Human Resources before
starting the process.
• Not preparing for the session by reviewing notes and writing out the
key points you want to discuss.
• Having a preconceived notion about what the "real" problem is.
• Letting your own opinions and values about the employee’s choices
interfere with your ability to counsel.
• Moving from stating the problem right into problem-solving without
listening to the employee.
• Shifting the focus to yourself.
Common Mistakes
Common Mistakes (continued)
• Underestimating the problem.
• Over- or under-empathizing with the employee.
• Playing "psychiatrist" with the employee and diagnosing the
problem.
• “Rescuing” the employee by taking care of things.
• Letting friendship or loyalty interfere, or being concerned with
“being liked.”
• Using phrases that could be considered discriminatory, e.g., “I
know you are older, but…”
• Overlooking resources like EAP, job aids, training, etc.
• You cannot mandate EAP, but when appropriate you should identify
EAP as a resource that can help the employee.
Additional Resources
GOER Supervisor’s Guide to Counseling, Third Edition 2010
http://www.goer.state.ny.us/Training_Development/index.cfm
Google GOER, click Training and Development, click Online Learning, then
“Using Effective Counseling to Improve Employee Productivity”
(This is basically the same training you just received, in an online module.)
Case Study
Marilyn supervises the preparation and distribution of various reports and
studies to other departments. Reports must be on time, accurate and
distributed correctly. Kathleen is among the employees reporting to Marilyn.
In the past two months, Kathleen has either inaccurately prepared reports or
missed deadlines.
Marilyn meets with Kathleen privately, stating the performance observed and
asking why expectations are not met.
After giving Kathleen some initial feedback, Marilyn notes that her
performance improves. Reports are submitted on time, and the inaccuracies
are no longer evident. Marilyn’s next step is to:
A. Proceed to counseling to note the improvement in performance.
B. Continue to give Kathleen regular feedback on her performance, both when it
exceeds performance standards and when it fails to meet standards.
B is correct. Proceeding to counseling is not necessary, and Marilyn’s role as a
supervisor should be to continue to monitor Kathleen’s performance and log her
observations in her supervisor’s notes.
Case Study (cont’d)
Under other circumstances, Kathleen’s performance does not
improve. Marilyn has provided timely, consistent and accurate
feedback and coaching. She now decides to proceed to
counseling.
In what ways will the counseling session contrast to the
feedback and coaching sessions?
A. The counseling will be a structured session about the issue, most likely
resulting in disciplinary action.
B. The counseling will be a structured session and will focus on problemsolving.
B is correct. Counseling is a structured, constructive session that seeks
to problem solve with the employee. Counseling is corrective, not punitive,
therefore it most often does not result in disciplinary action.
Case Study (cont’d)
Marilyn has never conducted a counseling session before.
What are some of her options?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Review her Supervisor’s Notes.
Have informal conversations with Kathleen’s co-workers.
Utilize the chain of command for guidance.
A and C
D. Both A and C are correct.
Your supervisor notes are invaluable in conducting a counseling session,
and your supervisor is a good resource for direction on how to move
forward.
Do not rely on informal conversations or worse, "gossip," when preparing a
counseling session.
Case Study
The Print Shop Supervisor
You supervise a print shop where a new staff member, Jane, is transferred to
your unit. You heard Jane was a poor performer and you anticipate trouble.
On Jane’s first day you meet with her. She states she is glad to be joining
your team, that she is a team player, and is excited about being there. During
the first six months, Jane does well. Her jobs are timely and accurate, and
you sign off on Jane’s probationary period.
Within 90 days of Jane completing her probation, complaints begin. Jane’s
jobs are late, or are not printed as requested. Complaints include pages out
of order, work missing, ignoring requests for two-sided printing, etc. Other
members of the team tell you Jane holds them back and that they are picking
up the slack.
Case Study (cont’d.)
You hold three different feedback and coaching sessions with Jane but see little
sustained improvement. You decide to counsel Jane because a pattern of behavior
has developed and her performance is affecting the team’s ability to get the job done.
You are planning the counseling session. You set a time and place, inform Jane of
the meeting, and outline the items you want to cover related to Jane's performance
issues. You are aware that when she came to you there had been reports of
problems in other offices. You consider reviewing Jane’s personnel file but wonder if
that might bias your counseling. You also consider seeking guidance from your
supervisor.
What do you do?
A. Review the personnel file and consult with your supervisor.
B. "Start fresh" without bias from past experiences. You decide to handle this yourself and
don't review the file.
A.
Is the correct answer. While it is important to remain unbiased, you should have all
possible information at hand for the counseling session. It is always a good idea to
consult with your chain of command, not just on background but also on best
procedures, any contract requirements, or other information that could be helpful.
Case Study (cont’d.)
A. Review the personnel file and consult with your supervisor.
While it is important to remain unbiased, you should have all possible
information at hand for the counseling session. It is always a good idea to
consult with your chain of command, not just on background but also on
best procedures, any contract requirements, or other information that could
be helpful.
You review the file and see that Jane's performance appraisals for the past
three years have been very positive. You mention to your supervisor that
you had understood she had performance problems before coming to you.
Your supervisor indicates that no other supervisor has documented any
problems. You realize that Jane may be defensive since you appear to be
the first supervisor to address her performance issues. Your supervisor
advises you how to proceed with the counseling session, given this new
information.
You review your outline and Supervisor’s Notes to prepare for the session.
Case Study (cont’d.)
Your session with Jane starts. You greet her and state the reason for the
meeting. You begin to address the performance issues. Here is how the
session goes:
You: Jane, we have met over the past month and discussed your work performance.
Specifically, we discussed the fact that you frequently make mistakes filling orders and that
you have missed several work deadlines. Your performance has not improved. This seems
to be a continuing problem.
Jane: I don't know what you are talking about. All of my past supervisors thought I did good
work. They all gave me positive appraisals.
You: This discussion is only concerned with your work here. Let’s talk about two of the jobs
you did last week. You were two weeks late printing the grant forms for the State Aid Office.
This delayed the distribution of the information to the field. The Engineering Office had
requested double-sided printing for their specs booklet, but you did it single-sided.
Jane: Why do you keep bothering me? You're the problem. I've never had any trouble
before. But here you're on my back all the time.
Jane is becoming more agitated. You feel the session could get out of hand if she continues
talking. You think it might be better to conclude quickly and enforce your requirements. On
the other hand, you know you should hear what she has to say.
Case Study (cont’d.)
What should you say?
A. "Let's concentrate on what you need to do here. I'm going to tell you
specifically what you have to do in this job to improve or further action will
need to be taken."
B. "In our last discussion, you said you would be more careful, but errors and
lateness continue. What is happening that causes your work to have more
errors and continue to be late? "
B. Is the correct answer. When possible, a good counseling session
includes hearing from the employee and is an important part of the
counseling process. From this inquiry, you might gain insight into the root
causes of a problem. Remember to be sensitive to situations in which
the employee may be eligible for a leave of absence or an
accommodation.
Case Study (cont’d.)
Jane says, "Really, with the State Aid job I read the print request carefully
and I thought I set the job up right. Once it started printing, I didn’t know
how to stop it and fix it. That is why the job was so late. I had to wait over a
week for someone to show me how to set it up right. I had trouble with the
Engineering Office job because they wanted it in booklet form and doublesided, and I hadn’t ever done that before. I just went ahead and printed it
single-sided so it wouldn’t be late."
She claims that she doesn’t know how to use the equipment despite the
extensive training you have sent her to. You work with her to make a plan to
get some additional training and develop better quality control.
Your session concludes with some specific actions each of you will take
and a plan to discuss the topic again in three weeks. You also tell Jane that
if her performance is being affected by personal problems, she can seek
assistance through the Employee Assistance Program and you give her
contact information for EAP.
Case Study (cont’d.)
Should A Counseling Memo Be Written?
Before Jane leaves, you must make a decision. Is Jane’s response sufficient? If so,
you can forego writing a counseling memo. Or, do you have reservations regarding
Jane’s potential to improve based on her comments? If so, you should write a
counseling memo. Which of the following comments reflect your decision?
A. You – "Jane, thank you for discussing this with me. I am going to summarize our
session, what we discussed and our plans for improvement. This will be
summarized in a counseling memo. You will receive that tomorrow."
B. You – "Jane, thank you for discussing this with me. We’ve discussed the areas
where improvement is needed, and we’ll revisit this issue in three weeks. "
A. Is the best decision. In this case there is a chronic performance problem and
you are not certain performance will improve. A counseling memo will begin
documenting Jane’s performance. You have no indication that her performance
will improve as she has promised improvement many times. Also given her
history, it is important that there is a record of her performance issues. You must
inform the employee if you decide to write a counseling memo.
Case Study (cont’d.)
You and I met on March 15 to discuss your work performance, specifically,
incomplete jobs, errors and jobs that were not done on time.
This was a follow-up meeting from February X and February X.
We discussed two jobs specifically. Last week, you were two weeks late printing
grant forms for the State Aid Office. The Engineering Office had requested doublesided printing for their specs booklet, but you did it single-sided.
I asked for your perceptions regarding why the errors occurred. Your response
was that you didn’t know how to do the State Aid job and you had to wait two weeks
for someone to show you how to set up the copier. Regarding the Engineering job,
you likewise indicated that you did not know how to set up the copier to print in
booklet form, and instead, in an effort to meet the deadline, you printed in singlesided format.
Case Study (cont’d.)
I indicated to you that efficient, accurate printing is critical to the print shop’s
overall operation. You said you understand that and you are trying your best.
We reviewed performance standards for the print shop. Specifically, we covered the
process for reading printing requests, who to contact when questions arise, what to do
when deadlines may be missed, and how best to follow up.
We reviewed your training record which indicates you have received training on all
the equipment in the shop including all machines and the process for booklet printing.
You agreed that you have had this training and received a satisfactory evaluation
during that training.
Case Study (cont’d.)
We concluded the session by detailing the following performance improvement
steps: I will arrange for remedial training on the copiers within one week. You will
write down those printing procedures you are unsure of, including, but not limited
to: booklet printing, printing in two colors, adding a cover sheet and saving jobs on
the copier’s hard drive for future re-printing. You said you would submit this list to
the print shop manager in one week.
I shared with you that if personal issues are affecting your performance, EAP
is a resource for addressing these issues. I gave you the contact number for EAP
and reviewed with you that contacting EAP is not mandatory, simply an option for
you to consider.
I indicated that I would summarize the session in a counseling memo and that it
would be placed in your Personal History Folder. I told you I would give you this
counseling memo the next day. We scheduled a follow-up meeting for April 25 at
2:00 p.m. The location will be my office.
Case Study: Sample Memo
March 15, 2013
To: Jane Jones
From: Sally Supervisor
Re: Counseling Session held on March 15
You and I met on March 15 to discuss your work performance, specifically, incomplete jobs, errors and jobs that were not done on time. This was a follow-up
meeting from February _ and February _.
We discussed two jobs specifically. Last week, you were two weeks late printing grant forms for the State Aid Office. The Engineering Office had requested
double-sided printing for their specs booklet, but you did it single-sided.
I asked for your perceptions regarding why the errors occurred. Your response was that you didn’t know how to do the State Aid job and you had to wait two
weeks for someone to show you how to set up the copier. Regarding the Engineering job, you likewise indicated that you did not know how to set up the copier
to print in booklet form, and instead, in an effort to meet the deadline, you printed in single-sided format.
I indicated to you that efficient, accurate printing is critical to the print shop’s overall operation. You said you understand that and that you are trying your best.
We reviewed performance standards for the print shop. Specifically, we covered the process for reading printing requests, who to contact when questions arise,
what to do when deadlines may be missed, and how best to follow-up.
We reviewed your training record which indicates you have received training on all the equipment in the shop including those machines and the process for
booklet printing. You agreed that you have had this training and received a satisfactory evaluation during that training.
We concluded the session by detailing the following performance improvement steps: I will arrange for remedial training on the copiers within one week. You will
write down those printing procedures you are unsure of including, but not limited to: booklet printing, printing in two colors, adding a cover sheet and saving jobs
on the copier’s hard drive for future re-printing. You said you would submit this list to the print shop manager in one week.
I shared with you that if personal issues are affecting your performance, EAP is a resource for addressing these issues. I gave you the contact number for EAP
and reviewed with you that contacting EAP is not mandatory, simply an option for employees to consider.
I indicated that I would summarize the session in a counseling memo and that it would be placed in your Personal History Folder. I told you I would give you this
counseling memo the next day. We scheduled a follow-up meeting for March 25 at 2:00 p.m. The location will be my office.
Sandy Supervisor
Supervisor Name (printed)
Sandy Supervisor
Supervisor Signature
I have reviewed a copy of this memorandum and have had the opportunity to discuss it with my supervisor.
Employee Name (printed)
cc: Official Personnel File
Employee Signature
MAKE SURE YOU INDICATE CC: PERSONNEL FILE!