Wanted: Thoughts on Zero Tolerance

I will be hosting a gathering of the minds at Caribou tomorrow morning, mochas on me, can you be there?

Here is the set-up: organizations have zero tolerance areas. An employee's alleged behavior falls in one of the zero tolerance areas. The organization is determining the appropriate disciplinary action to propose.

Here is the question: does zero tolerance mean automatic removal? Said differently, would anything less than removal condone the behavior? 

Yes, there is a specific issue that brought the question to the table and now it is the question itself that I want to explore. It goes beyond any single issue or set of circumstances.

Since face to face is not feasible, although it would be awesome, how about link to link or comment to post?

What do you think? 

Comments

[RMSJr]

There are absolutely never ever no absolutes. To try to write the world into black and white is the sign of bigotry. Every situation and circumstance remains unique with forwardly evolving truthful perspectives. Only closed minds have zero tolerances.

[HR Wench]

I totally disagree with RMSJr.

That being said, companies have to "be careful what they wish for". Zero tolerance policies need to be just that - zero tolerance. That means you do it once and you are bye-bye. If we are careful how we write policies I don't think we will have so much of an issue. For example, workplace violence is typically a zero tolerance policy. However, one could write it so that physical violence is zero tolerance and other types of violence (intimidation, bullying, yelling swear words at someone) are unacceptable and MAY be dealt with via disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment but are not necessarily under the same "banner" as punching someone in the face.

Is it pretty? No. But I really feel that calling something "zero tolerance" and then treating it as if it is actually "some tolerance" is a bad idea. Let's call things by their true names.

[Lisa Rosendahl]

HR Wench, excellent point about policies. The written word should reflect the intention of the organization, not dictate it. Hmmmm, you may be on to something. What role would mitigating factors play for you in a zero tolerance situation? Any? Hey, aren't you supposed to be in Mexico?!

[RMSJr]

What is "..., there is a specific issue that brought the question to the table and ..."?

Please clarify your disagreement with specific examples and circumstances where zero tolerance is applicable.

[Lisa Rosendahl]

RMSJr, there was a specific issue I had been addressing when the bigger question of "zero-tolerance" came to mind; the issue itself is not relevant.

I appreciate your comments. There are many different perspectives and these varying perspectives are exactly what I am seeking.