Supervision in the Hospitality Industry- AHLEI Practice Test

Before making a decision regarding disciplinary action, what should a supervisor not need to know?

1. Whether the employee knowingly broke the rule

2. If factors beyond the employee's control caused this problem

3. Whether the unacceptable behavior has been overlooked in the past

4. The precise cause of the unacceptable behavior

The correct answer is: The precise cause of the unacceptable behavior

The correct choice is that a supervisor does not need to know the precise cause of the unacceptable behavior before making a decision regarding disciplinary action. This is because the focus of disciplinary action is often on the actions and behaviors themselves rather than the underlying reasons for those actions. While understanding motivations can be beneficial in addressing employee behavior, the supervisor's primary responsibility is to ensure adherence to company policies and standards. If an employee is engaged in unacceptable behavior, the supervisor must take action based on the behavior itself, not necessarily dissecting every element that led to that behavior. On the other hand, factors such as whether the employee knowingly broke the rule, if external factors influenced the situation, and whether the behavior has been overlooked previously are all pertinent considerations. These factors can inform the supervisor's decision-making process and help ensure that disciplinary actions are fair and consistent, taking into account the context of the behavior rather than requiring an in-depth analysis of its root causes.