Documentation Isn’t the Same as Discipline
Documentation Isn’t the Same as Discipline (And Mixing Them Up Is Costly) by Purciarele Group One of the most common—and most expensive—HR mistakes I see in small businesses is this: Leaders believe that documentation and discipline are the same thing. They’re not. And when those two concepts get blurred, businesses unintentionally create confusion, resentment, disengagement, and risk—often while thinking they’re doing the “right” thing. Let’s break this down. What Documentation Actually Is Documentation is a factual record . It answers questions like: What happened? When did it happen? Who was involved? What expectations were communicated? What support or coaching was provided? Good documentation is: Objective Specific Neutral in tone Tied to expectations or standards Intended to create clarity , not fear At its best, documentation supports growth. It creates a shared understanding of what’s going well, what needs improvement, and ...