Which statement describes progressive discipline in the workplace?

Which statement describes progressive discipline in the workplace?

• A. It is optional and can be skipped for minor offenses.
• B. It requires immediate termination for any offense.
• C. It should be followed step by step for any offense.
• D. It is not applicable to performance issues.

Answer: (C)

Progressive discipline is a structured approach to addressing workplace issues where a series of increasingly corrective steps are used when behavior or performance doesn’t improve. The idea is to give an employee a fair chance to correct course before more severe actions are taken, with each step escalating only after continued or repeated problems. This is why describing it as something that should be followed step by step for offenses fits best: it embodies the escalating, documented process designed to improve performance or behavior. It isn’t optional or a guarantee of immediate termination, and it applies to both performance issues and misconduct, not just one or the other.

Progressive discipline is a structured approach to addressing workplace issues where a series of increasingly corrective steps are used when behavior or performance doesn’t improve. The idea is to give an employee a fair chance to correct course before more severe actions are taken, with each step escalating only after continued or repeated problems. This is why describing it as something that should be followed step by step for offenses fits best: it embodies the escalating, documented process designed to improve performance or behavior. It isn’t optional or a guarantee of immediate termination, and it applies to both performance issues and misconduct, not just one or the other.