💡 Wednesday Blog – Did You Know – HR

Did You Know? Informal Management Action Still Requires Fair Process

Did you know that informal management action can still expose employers to legal risk if handled incorrectly?

Even where an issue is dealt with informally — such as a quiet word, guidance conversation, or performance discussion — employers must still act reasonably, consistently, and fairly.

Common mistakes include:

• Treating informal warnings as “off the record”

• Failing to document discussions

• Applying informal action inconsistently between employees

• Allowing informal action to drift into disciplinary territory

Informal action should be supportive and developmental, not punitive. Employees should clearly understand expectations, timescales, and what will happen if improvement does not occur.

At Consensus HR, we help businesses strike the right balance between informal management and formal procedures, ensuring issues are resolved early without increasing legal risk.

Comment from Matthew Chilcott – Owner:
“Informal action done well prevents formal disputes. Done badly, it can create them.”

👉 Need guidance on informal performance management? Visit:
https://www.consensushr.com

📲 Connect with us:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/consensushr
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/consensushr
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/consensushr