You are the manager of a medium sized company. One of your accountants has missed 2 weeks of work in the past two months, and his work is not being done on a timely basis. How would you handle the situation employing both oral andwritten form of comm?

You must use "progressive discipline" to avoid problems later on.  AND document, document, document.  I would issue a written notice to "meet and discuss" this issue.  You need to inform the person that the absence and the failure to get work done on a timely basis are a problem for the company.  You need to find out why these problems are occuring, discuss how to solve these problems, get employee to state what steps he/she is going to take to solve these problems, set a reasonable time limit to see improvement, and finally make sure that emlployee understands that his/her performance is not acceptable and that the failure to improve could lead to discipline up to and including termination.  A written copy, clearly stating each item, and the employee's response should be entered in to the personnel file and given to the employee in duplicate.  The employee should sign and return the second copy stating that he/she has read and understands it.

An oral warning still on paper but a warning.  Discuss problem ways of improving and future consequences.  If not heeded give write up explanin the onging problem followed by unpaid suspension for about three days.  On third day ask employee if he wants to keep the job.  If no then he quit.  If he wants to stay then advise of last chance.