Industry consultant Bob Coulter of JP Horizons, Painesville, Ohio, agrees that “Praise in public, punish in private” is a great disciplinary motto, but adds that employers should be sure the praise they shower on employees takes the right format.
“The worst thing you can do is punish in public, but even praising in pubic is something you have to keep an eye on with some people,” Coulter says. “Many times, especially in the Hispanic workforce, people will respond negatively to being singled out in front of a group of people. If praise in public embarrasses the employee, that may keep them from following policies in the future. Instead, give them a note or reward in private. You have to know what motivates the individual.”