GUIDELINES
- In the case of an employee's violation of your company's policies, remain calm. Write a brief letter to your employee that talks about the issue. Don't comment on your employee's character. Take a look at "Document Employee Reprimands".
- In this letter, tell the employee the reason of rebuking him/her. Present evidence or facts if necessary.
- Mention the action that can be taken against the employee and what can he/she do to make amends.
- Tell the employee that you expect remedial actions from him/her.
SAMPLE LETTER
[Address line]
[State, ZIP Code]
[Letter Date]
[Address line]
[State, ZIP Code]
[Subject: Normally bold, summarizes the intention of the letter] -Optional-
Dear [Recipients Name],
While I certainly would like to congratulate you for the consistently high numbers of sales that you bring to the company each month, I also want to remind you that overall performance is not just seen in the numbers but also in the attitude one has towards his or her colleagues.
I have received several reports of your negative attitude towards the people in your office. Complaints have also been filed regarding this, stating that you have a habit of insulting and talking down to your team members. Because I have not heard your side of the story yet, I do not want to pass any judgment at this point. I will say, however, that I am deeply concerned by this, mainly because formal complaints have been made.
I would like to invite you to visit me in my office before the week is over. I want us to discuss what has been going on, and I welcome hearing what you have to say about the complaints being filed against you. You can inform my secretary at the soonest possible time we can meet.
Sincerely,
[Senders Name]
[Senders Title] -Optional-
[Enclosures: number] - Optional -
cc: [Name of copy recipient] - Optional -
Sample letter to reprimand an employee for negative attitude.
Further things to consider when writing reprimand letters to employees
Reprimand Letters
Reprimand letters are letters written to rebuke or criticize others because of their actions or behavior. These are usually written by supervisors at work and used as an official statement of a behavior an employee needs to improve. A reprimand letter specifically and clearly points out the behavior or performance problem an employee is supposed to improve as well as the consequences if he/she shows no improvement. In most cases, a reprimand letter is preceded by a formal verbal warning about the issue. It is one of the major elements that constitute a company's disciplinary process.
Effective reprimand letters use strong, yet respectable tone. Prior to writing, check to see that the company procedures and policies are in place. Start by mentioning the recipient's positive qualities or behavior. Make a clear statement of the performance issue or behavior that the recipient must improve. Explain how this has impacted the company negatively. Enumerate specific suggestions on how the recipient can improve the situation. Describe any actions that will be taken against the recipient if the situation doesn't change. End on a positive note that gives encouragement, demonstrates concern, or that expresses confidence that the recipient will resolve the issue.
Letters to Employees
Letters to employees are letters written to individuals who work for an organization or for another person. If you are an employer or manage a group of employees, the chances are that you will have to write to the employees at some point. It could be an introduction letter to introduce a new product or service to salespersons, a rejection letter to turn down an employee's request for a promotion, or a thank-you letter to thank an employee for his/her hard work. You could also write a termination letter to fire an employee for his/her poor performance. Whatever the reason for your writing, the letter must be formal and professional.
All letters to employees must be addressed with the proper names of the recipients. But if your message is intended for all employees in general, you can address your letter as "To all employees". State the purpose of the letter. Convey your message briefly but clearly, highlighting all the important details. If the issue that you are writing about requires further explanation, make sure to offer your explanation in a way that the recipient can easily understand. Wrap it up with a positive note or a call to action.
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