How and When to Use a Formal Write-Up (Plus Free Template)

In November 2013, at a work event celebrating 20 years of operations, one employee from credit card issuer MBNA was looking for a fight. 

Fueled by corporate hospitality and flush with righteous indignation after some banter turned sour, he launched a well-aimed knee at his coworker for putting an arm around his sister. The coworker retaliated with a right hook. But the fight didn’t end there: Later that night, still furious, the employee sent a string of threatening texts.

Only one of the pair got fired — and it wasn’t the guy who started it.

The resulting tribunal and lawsuit that followed weren’t just about fairness — they became a case study on how organizations can quickly erode trust, increase risk, and damage credibility when their disciplinary processes are inconsistent. 

Write-ups are a critical component of nailing that consistency. They’re a formal document that helps HR and managers record infractions, apply standards fairly, and set clear expectations on what happens next. Here’s how to get them right. 

Start Here: Your Free Employee Write-Up Form Template

Formal write-up templates provide a standardized, structured way of documenting employee disciplinary processes at an organizational level. This means that every case is handled with parity and transparency in mind, and every stakeholder involved in the process knows exactly what will happen and what’s expected of them.

An effective employee write-up template can also reduce the likelihood of bias and ambiguity in disciplinary processes, giving HR leaders and managers a clear framework for decision-making.

In our simple-to-use formal write-up template, you’ll find all the essentials you need to get a structured formal write-up process up and running, including:

• Employee information: The employee’s name, job title, department, and reporting manager
• Description of the incident: A factual and objective account of what happened, when, and where
• Context: Any relevant history, including prior conversations, employee performance data, coaching efforts, policy violations, and verbal warnings
• Expectations: What needs to change, a detailed improvement plan, and expected timelines for change
• Potential consequences: What happens if these expectations are not met

This template can be adapted in line with your organization’s specific policies and procedures — so you can build fully compliant processes that match your company standards and employment laws.

Download the template

Putting Formal Write-Ups in Context

Formal write-ups rarely happen based on a single event. They’re usually the result of a pattern of behavior, stretched out over a length of time. 

Maybe there have already been a few manager-led conversations about improving poor performance or behavioral issues — or maybe interventions have already been tried without much success.

“There’s rarely a lightbulb moment where it becomes obvious that employees have crossed a line and now we’re in write-up territory,” said Kim Minnick, founder and principal consultant of Code Traveller HR and a performance expert. “Humans are really complex, and your process should respond to that complexity.”

While every disciplinary scenario is unique, most organizations follow a progressive discipline model, where disciplinary measures increase if issues remain unaddressed: 

• Informal feedback: A casual conversation — usually during a check-in or one-on-one — where managers and employees can course-correct behavior. At this stage, this is more of a collaborative conversation.
• Coaching and documented intervention: Provide additional support and resources to help the employee improve, including mentorship, goal-setting, training, or a performance improvement plan where appropriate.
• Verbal warning: It’s time to get a bit more serious. A verbal warning should be an objective, documented conversation that places emphasis on data and facts, not emotions. This should be followed up with a written record of what was discussed and next steps.
• Formal write-up: If there’s still no improvement (or the issue is more serious), the next step is a written warning. This outlines the specific incident or behavior, interventions that have already taken place, and timelines and actions for improvement.
• Suspension: Beyond the formal write-up, things get a little more dicey. A temporary suspension may be in order if the organization needs to run an internal investigation or if the employee’s conduct poses an immediate risk to the business or team.
• Termination: If the employee hasn’t changed their tune after previous formal warnings, it could be time for termination. This also applies when employees do something that significantly compromises the business — like corporate espionage or fraud. 

But because the lines can often blur from one progression point to the next, it makes the nuance of each specific scenario really important. Minnick calls this the ‘sandbox’ approach.

“I try to create sandboxes around the disciplinary process,” she explained. “The first is that documented conversation. What happened? How big is this problem? From there, we have documented plans and tailored support. You offer resources. You're creating controlled environments where you can investigate the issue and build understanding before escalating."

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When should you escalate to a formal write-up?

Any disciplinary processes you take need to mirror your culture and how your organization operates day to day. How you communicate, what behaviors are non-negotiable, and how you handle conflict — these all shape what it looks like when an employee crosses the line.

Some of these things will be obvious, and some will be less so. But many will be encoded in your employee handbook and code of conduct — and that’s where you need to start to calibrate and align your disciplinary process with your company’s internal moral compass. 

“My advice is always to start with: What are your company policies?” said Claire Schmidt, founder of employee relations platform AllVoices. “Every company is different in terms of how they want to handle these situations — this is why systems and documentation matter. It’s about making sure people are told the same things in the same situations. That starts with having a clear internal standard.”

Common triggers for a formal write-up might include:

• Misuse of company resources, such as inappropriate use of expense accounts, proprietary data, or internal systems
• Disregarding safety or operational procedures that could put the employee or their peers at risk
• Repeatedly ignoring workplace policies, such as skipping mandatory training or meetings
• Behaviors that put the company at risk, including harassment, confidentiality breaches, or conduct that could damage the organization’s reputation
• Ongoing performance issues that haven’t been resolved with coaching or feedback

These internal standards provide a natural workflow for what triggers a formal write-up process. And when paired with empathy and investigation, you create the right guardrails for consistency without rigidity.

“We’re not just blindly following a performance playbook or code of conduct — we’re building a case as a company,” Minnick noted. “That means going beyond who someone is at work and prioritizing kind curiosity to figure out if there is something else to consider before you escalate. 

“Document the moments where something isn’t working, or you’re discovering a recurring theme. Take an investigative approach to create your own record. Ask: What led to this moment? Is there something going on outside of work? And before you write or present anything, check yourself and your biases. Try to prove yourself wrong. Because that helps you identify if it’s a real challenge or just a subjective issue.”

Examples of Formal Write-Ups

Write-ups can stem from a cascade of smaller issues or one big mistake. Let’s walk through two very different scenarios to see how this process might look.

1. Misuse of Internal Communication Channels

Incident: On February 18, 2025, [employee] used a public Slack channel to make a sarcastic comment directed toward another team member. While not overtly discriminatory in nature, the tone and phrasing mirrored language often associated with racial stereotypes. The team member felt dismissed and singled out in front of their peers, and colleagues flagged the exchange as disrespectful and microaggressive.

Key aspects of the background are presented in the table below:

2. Data Security Breach

Incident: On May 16, 2025, [employee] intentionally transferred confidential data to his home device using his personal email. The employee’s actions violated our policies on data security and confidentiality, exposing sensitive customer account information and internal product data. This posed a significant risk to company operations and client trust, undermining our compliance efforts with GDPR.

Why Standardization Matters in Formal Write-Up Processes

No two disciplinary cases will ever be exactly the same. But how you handle them should be grounded in the same logic, objectivity, and clarity — from your escalation pathway to the framework and decision-making practices you follow. 

Standardizing your formal write-up process creates consistency across your entire organization. This ensures that everyone follows (and is evaluated with) the same parameters — whether it’s a brand new manager or a seasoned supervisor on the case. 

This offers several key benefits:

• Objectivity: Cases and decisions are based on facts and data, not emotions. 
• Compliance: Creating objective, standardized processes not only ensures fairness but also provides legal protection in the event of employee disputes or claims.
• Pattern recognition: Teams can better identify patterns in employee behaviors and case management, leading to greater consistency in employee discipline over time.
• Transparency: Outlining disciplinary policies in employee handbooks and resources means everyone knows what to expect.
• Visibility: Shared visibility into record-keeping and case outcomes increases understanding of the process — especially if paired with a centralized system of record.

But it’s not just about following due process, emphasizes Schmidt. Because standardization and consistency over time breed trust and credibility across the organization. And that’s where you show care and empathy in disciplinary processes.

“HR has a very tough job in mediating this process,” Schmidt said. “They have a burden on both shoulders: to take care of the employee, and to follow rules, policies, and compliance requirements. But I think for HR, consistency and fairness — and sometimes making hard decisions — is actually the most impactful way HR can show care for employees.

“The way that you, as a company and as an HR team, respond to issues is an indicator for everyone else in the company of how similar ones will be handled in the future. This can either diminish or build trust in leadership and HR.”

Using Feedback for Early Intervention: Catching Issues Before They Escalate

Trust is critical for effective disciplinary processes. But it can also open the door to more open conversations down the line. Because when employees trust you to give them a fair hearing, they’re more likely to proactively raise issues before they lead to a write-up.

“Employees won’t speak up if they fear repercussions, or if they don’t see any benefit to doing so,” Schmidt said. “You empower people to speak up by showing them, not just telling them, that they can trust you. When employees have a safe, anonymous way to report issues, it gives HR an opportunity to step in and catch them before they become a bigger problem.”

Continuous feedback channels — such as employee surveys, anonymized employee relations platforms, and informal one-on-ones — give employees a safe space to speak up. But they also give HR teams and managers a place to look for signals and patterns.

A subtle dip in employee sentiment, a trending topic in comments, or a drop-off in engagement for one team can all be tells that something might be bubbling under the surface.

But listening is only the first step. What maintains trust long-term is what you do next — how you respond, support employees, and continue the conversation. Because when employees can see their feedback leading to actual change, it reinforces a culture of mutual accountability. 

And that matters in the aftermath of a tough conversation, where employees might be feeling unheard or unsupported.

“It’s critical to follow up with your employees during and directly after the disciplinary process,” Minnick noted. “It’s an opportunity to ask open-ended questions, and ask: What do you need me to do to advocate for you? What should I know? What resources do you need? Can I find you a mentor? This is your opportunity to find out their side, understand how they’re feeling, and design clear communication standards that foster trust both ways.”

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