ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses face-to-face work with individual members of staff. Interviewing is used for a number of different purposes, including selecting staff, obtaining information, resolving problems, clearing up misunderstandings, sorting out grievances and so on. The correction interview should not be confused with the disciplinary interview. Its purpose is to try to avoid the need to take disciplinary action against a member of staff. The disciplinary interview can be the most difficult aspect of the manager’s job. Disciplinary action is most commonly taken in response to specific actions on the part of a member of staff. There may be times when supervision sessions shade over into counselling a member of staff about problems she is experiencing. The ripples of dismissal can affect the image of a service and other members of staff, and can embroil the manager in trade union and even legal issues.
