What action should a supervisor take after three steps of progressive discipline have occurred but issues persist?

In a progressive discipline process, the aim is to address repeated behavioral or performance issues through increasing levels of corrective action. After a supervisor has gone through three steps of this process—typically involving verbal warnings, written warnings, and final warnings—the employee has had ample opportunity to improve. When issues continue to persist despite these interventions, it indicates that the corrective measures have not been effective in altering the employee's behavior or performance.

Termination is often the necessary next step in these situations, as it preserves the integrity of the discipline process and signals that the organization's expectations must be taken seriously. Continual failure to meet these expectations after multiple interventions leaves the supervisor with limited options. Terminating the employee helps ensure that the team's performance and work environment are not negatively impacted by ongoing issues.

While options like reassessing salary, conducting another review, or providing additional training may seem beneficial, these strategies typically do not address the core problem of repeated misconduct or poor performance. They may even delay the necessary action of termination and prolong the disruption within the team.