How to Document a Counseling Conversation Clearly

BY GRANT SHEPHERD

A note that says counseled employee about attitude may remind you that a meeting occurred. Months later, it will tell you very little about the conduct, the employee's explanation, or the expectation you established.

Record the facts that led to the conversation

Include when the concern occurred, what you observed or verified, and the specific performance or conduct involved. Keep the sequence clear. If information came from another person or a record, identify the source through the appropriate documentation process.

Describe actions rather than assigning motives. An incomplete handoff is an observable issue. Saying the employee did not care is an interpretation that may not explain what happened.

Include the employee's relevant explanation

A counseling record should reflect the discussion, including information that changes the picture. Capture the explanation accurately and identify any point that needs more review. Use quotation marks only for words you recorded accurately.

Distinguish the employee's explanation from your own assessment. That makes it easier to see what was said and what conclusion you reached after checking the information.

Write the expectation and the next action

State what acceptable performance requires and what the employee was directed to do. Include the instruction or policy reference that applies, using your agency's required format. If training or assistance is part of the response, record that commitment too.

For an incomplete handoff, a useful entry would identify the omitted information, the direction to complete it, and the expectation for future handoffs. A generic instruction to do better leaves both the employee and the next reviewer guessing.

Protect the follow-up

Include when you will review the work and what you will check. The follow-up can show whether the employee understood the expectation, whether the correction held, and whether a new issue needs attention.

Follow-up also matters when performance improves. A record containing only problems gives an incomplete picture of the employee's work. Record the result with the same attention you gave the original concern.

Review the entry before you finish

• Can another supervisor understand the issue without asking you to reconstruct it?
• Are observations, reported information, and conclusions clearly distinguished?
• Does the entry reflect the relevant employee response?
• Are the expectation, required action, and follow-up specific?
• Is the record in the approved system with the required access and handling?

Prepare the meeting with Before You Counsel an Employee. Use Supervisor Shift Notes to capture working observations, and explore the Conversations & Documentation Pack for related field tools.