Disciplinary Procedure

Date modified: 15th February 2026 | This article explains how you can record a video on disciplinary procedure which will act as an Employee Handbook inside the Pilla App. You can also check out the Employee Handbook Guide or the docs page for Managing Videos in Pilla.

Every employer will eventually face a situation where an employee's conduct or performance falls below the required standard. How you respond defines your organisation's culture and your ability to defend your decisions.

This guide helps you create that video. It covers what to include, how to structure your recording, and the questions your team will ask after watching it.

Key Takeaways

  • Walk through progressive discipline: Open your video by explaining the stages — informal conversation, first written warning, final written warning, and dismissal — so every employee understands the process before they ever face it
  • Cover how investigations work: Make clear that no sanction is ever issued based on allegations alone — facts are gathered, witnesses interviewed, and the employee given a chance to respond
  • Explain the right to be accompanied: Tell your team who can accompany an employee at a formal meeting and how representation works, so staff know their rights from day one
  • Separate investigation from decision-making: Explain that the person who investigates is not the same person who decides the outcome — preventing bias and strengthening fairness
  • Emphasise documentation: Make clear that every step from investigation to appeal is recorded — a well-documented process is the single most important factor in defending a disciplinary decision

Article Content

Why your team needs this policy

A proper procedure protects the business and the employee. It sets out what happens when things go wrong, ensures decisions are made on evidence rather than emotion, and gives employees a fair chance to improve before any action is taken. Without one, managers handle identical situations differently, employees feel blindsided by consequences they did not see coming, and the organisation is exposed if a decision is ever challenged.

What to cover in your policy video

Explain how progressive discipline works. Start with an informal conversation. If that does not resolve the issue, move through formal stages: first written warning, final written warning, dismissal. Make clear that stages are only skipped for gross misconduct. Provide examples of what constitutes each level — minor misconduct (lateness, minor policy breaches), serious misconduct (repeated minor misconduct, insubordination), and gross misconduct (theft, violence, serious safety breaches) — so managers and employees understand the boundaries. Set clear timescales for how long warnings remain active before they lapse.

Cover how investigations are conducted before any action is taken. Make clear that no disciplinary sanction is ever issued based on allegations alone. Explain that an appropriate investigator is appointed — someone with no prior involvement in the matter — and that evidence is gathered systematically: witness interviews, written statements, and documentary evidence. Emphasise that investigations are kept confidential and completed promptly, and that if suspension is necessary during an investigation it is a neutral act on full pay, not a punishment.

Walk through what happens at a formal disciplinary meeting. The employee is notified of the allegations in writing before the meeting, with enough detail and copies of relevant evidence to prepare a response. Explain that employees have the right to be accompanied and that the person who investigates should not be the person who decides the outcome. The employee is given a genuine opportunity to respond, and the decision is never announced at the meeting itself.

Cover what happens after a decision is reached. The outcome is communicated in writing, stating the decision, the reasons, any sanction, the review period for warnings, and the right of appeal. Explain that warnings have a defined lifespan and lapse after the review period if no further issues arise. Make clear that an appeal is always available, heard by someone not involved in the original decision.

Make clear that every step is documented. Record investigation findings, meeting notes, decisions, and the reasoning behind them. Explain that contemporaneous notes carry far more weight than records compiled after the event, and that a note-taker should be present at formal meetings.

How to structure your video

Keep it under five minutes. Disciplinary procedure is a topic employees hope they will never need. Keep your video focused on the key stages and the fairness built into each step. Staff can revisit it if they ever need the detail.

Have a senior manager present. This should come from someone with authority to make disciplinary decisions — typically the general manager or operations manager. The topic is serious, and the presenter should match that.

Use a step-by-step walkthrough. Open with a reassurance that the procedure exists to be fair, not to catch people out. Then walk through the stages in order: informal conversation, investigation, formal meeting, decision, appeal. At each stage, emphasise what the employee can expect and what their rights are.

Use real examples. Without naming anyone, describe the kinds of situations that lead to each stage. \u201CIf someone is consistently late, the first step is always a conversation, not a warning.\u201D Concrete examples make abstract procedures feel tangible.

Keep the tone calm and fair. Staff watching this video may already feel anxious about the topic. A measured, matter-of-fact tone signals that the process is designed to be just, not punitive. Avoid language that sounds adversarial.

Common questions your team will ask

After watching your video, these are the questions that will come up. Anticipate them in your recording or be ready to answer them via messaging:

  • \u201CWhat counts as gross misconduct?\u201D \u2014 Give clear examples in your video. Theft, violence, serious safety breaches, and fraud are common categories, but state your organisation\u2019s specific list.
  • \u201CCan I bring someone with me to a meeting?\u201D \u2014 Explain who can accompany an employee and what the companion\u2019s role is. Check the rules for your jurisdiction on the right to be accompanied.
  • \u201CHow long does a warning stay on my record?\u201D \u2014 State the review periods for first and final written warnings, and explain that they lapse if no further issues arise.
  • \u201CCan I be dismissed without a warning?\u201D \u2014 Explain that summary dismissal is reserved for gross misconduct and that the investigation and meeting process still applies.
  • \u201CWhat if I disagree with the decision?\u201D \u2014 Walk through the appeal process, including who hears the appeal and the timeframe for submitting one.
  • \u201CWill I be suspended?\u201D \u2014 Explain that suspension is a neutral act used only when necessary during an investigation, and that it is always on full pay.
  • \u201CWhat if my manager has a personal issue with me?\u201D \u2014 Explain the separation between investigation and decision-making, and the safeguards that prevent bias.

Official guidance

The rules on disciplinary procedures vary by location. Before recording your video, check the official guidance for your jurisdiction:

LocationSource
United KingdomACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures — ACAS
European UnionEU Charter of Fundamental Rights — EUR-Lex
United StatesTitle VII of the Civil Rights Act — EEOC
CanadaUnjust dismissal — Canada Labour Code
AustraliaUnfair dismissal — Fair Work Commission

How Pilla helps

Pilla turns your disciplinary procedure into a living part of your employee handbook:

  • Record your policy video — Film a short video explaining your disciplinary procedure, what employees need to know, and how it works in your organisation. Staff watch on their phone, and you track who has seen it.
  • Onboarding integration — Include the disciplinary procedure as part of your onboarding checklist, so every new starter acknowledges it during induction.
  • Policy updates — When your procedure changes, push the updated video to all staff and track who has watched the new version.
  • Audit trail — Every video view, policy acknowledgement, and onboarding completion is recorded with timestamps, ready for any compliance review.
  • Messaging — Use in-app messaging to answer questions about disciplinary procedures directly, keeping sensitive conversations out of group chats.