101 Sample Write-Ups for Documenting Employee Performance Problems, 3rd Edition

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Incident Descriptions and Performance Improvement

“Document, document, document!” That’s what you hear all the time as a manager and business owner. The logical need for documentation is clear: It not only helps you recollect specific details that you can later use to justify your actions, but also lends a layer of insulation to the corporation by demonstrating that your decisions were based on sound business fundamentals. In addition, many arbitrators adhere to the adage, “If it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen.” Therefore, you’ll need to rely on signed employee disciplinary notices and performance evaluations to mount a defense.

Knowing how to document, however, is a different story. That issue will be clearly discussed in this chapter ...