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View full libraryA practical meeting script to help managers handle an initial concern about an employee's conduct in a fair, structured and proportionate way before deciding whether formal action is required.
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Concern About Conduct Meeting Script
Meeting details
| Employee: | |
| Manager: | |
| Date: | |
| Time: | |
| Location / method: | |
| Others present: |
Before the meeting
Before meeting with the employee, make sure you understand the concern and have identified the specific behaviour or incident that needs to be discussed.
Consider:
Do not approach the meeting on the assumption that the employee is responsible for the conduct. The purpose of the discussion is to raise the concern and understand what happened.
Opening the meeting
Manager:
"Thanks for meeting with me. I wanted to have a conversation with you about a concern that has been raised regarding your conduct at work.
This is intended to be an opportunity for me to explain the concern, hear your perspective and understand what happened. I am not coming into the meeting having already decided that you have done anything wrong, and I want to hear your side before deciding what, if anything, needs to happen next."
Explain the concern
"The concern I want to discuss relates to [describe the behaviour or incident].
Specifically, it is understood that on [date / occasion], [describe the conduct factually and objectively].
The reason I am raising this with you is that the behaviour has caused concern because [explain the impact or expected standard]."
Where appropriate:
"There has also been
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When a manager has concerns about an employee's conduct, an early conversation can often help establish what has happened and address inappropriate behaviour before matters escalate. This script provides a structured framework for holding that conversation while giving the employee a fair opportunity to respond.
The script helps the manager explain the behaviour that has caused concern using specific, factual examples rather than assumptions or labels. It encourages a calm and respectful discussion so that the employee understands what the concern is and why it needs to be addressed.
A key part of the meeting is giving the employee a genuine opportunity to explain what happened. The suggested questions help managers explore the circumstances, identify any misunderstandings or relevant context, and establish whether there are factors that need further consideration.
Not every conduct concern needs to become a formal disciplinary matter. The script helps the manager consider whether the issue can be resolved through clarification, coaching, an agreed improvement in behaviour or further investigation. More serious concerns may need to be referred into the company's formal disciplinary procedure.
The meeting should be documented so there is a clear record of the concern raised, the employee's response and any actions agreed. The record should remain factual and proportionate and should not prejudge the outcome of any subsequent formal process.
Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Concern about conduct meeting script should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.
Understand the common mistakes to avoid when using this HR template, helping you reduce risk, prevent unnecessary costs and ensure the process is handled correctly.
Not necessarily. This script is designed primarily for an initial concern about conduct where an informal discussion may be appropriate. If the matter is sufficiently serious, disputed or likely to result in formal disciplinary action, the employer should follow its formal disciplinary procedure instead.
Yes. The manager should explain the specific behaviour or incident causing concern and provide enough information for the employee to understand what is being discussed. Avoid vague labels such as "poor attitude" without explaining the underlying behaviour.
An informal conversation should not normally be used to issue a formal disciplinary warning. If a formal warning may be appropriate, the employer should follow its disciplinary procedure, including giving the employee appropriate information about the allegations and a fair opportunity to respond.
Do not assume that the denial means the matter is resolved or that the employee is being dishonest. Consider what evidence is available and whether further investigation is necessary. The outcome should be based on the facts established rather than the initial allegation alone.
A factual note of the discussion should normally be kept. Audio or video recording is a separate issue and should not be undertaken routinely without considering the circumstances, the company's policy and applicable data protection requirements.
AI can produce a generic conversation script, but it may not distinguish properly between an informal conduct conversation and a formal disciplinary process. HRDocBox templates are structured specifically around practical UK HR processes, helping managers raise concerns consistently while avoiding language that could unnecessarily prejudge an employee or bypass procedural safeguards. The template can then be adapted to the organisation's own policies and circumstances.
The sequence of questions and prompts worked well in a real conversation. We adapted the Concern about conduct meeting script slightly so the wording sounded natural for our team. The suggested wording helped the discussion feel prepared without sounding rehearsed.
We found it easy to personalise without having to rewrite the whole thing. The prompts helped keep the conversation focused on the right issues.
It helped the manager avoid forgetting an important point while still allowing the discussion to flow. It made preparing for the conversation considerably less time consuming.
How this content is developed and reviewed
The Concern about conduct meeting script template is developed using a practical HR methodology that considers current UK employment legislation, ACAS guidance, CIPD good practice and the real-world HR process it supports. Templates and supporting information are regularly reviewed and updated, with additional reviews triggered by significant changes to legislation, guidance or established HR practice, helping ensure each document remains practical, relevant and suitable for UK employers.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing disciplinary HR processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
HRDocBox has been creating practical UK HR documents since 2009.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
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