One of the unpleasant aspects of being a manager is that you have to deal with employees who engage in punishable offenses, such as taking credit for another employee’s work, blaming someone else for a mistake, harassing a coworker, or violating company policies. Some typical disciplinary actions might include reassignment, suspension, formal performance write-ups, eliminating bonuses, or even firing. A good manager knows that these types of consequences are only effective if they are proportionate to the infraction. Too light, and they will not sufficiently communicate the severity of the infraction, both to the employee who broke the rules and to the peers who are watching. Too heavy, and you create an unfair environment that violates everyone’s expectations for justice.