Perceived Fairness in Disciplinary Procedures in Public Institutions: An Application of Hot Stove Rule

The “hot stove rule” in management investigates how discipline resembles the immediate consequence of touching a hot stove: consistent, impersonal, and predictable. Applying this concept to workplace discipline, the study investigates the perceptions of fairness in disciplinary practices within the public sector. Grounded in phenomenology, the research examines a qualitative design to examine employees’ lived experiences of disciplinary procedures. Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with clerical staff (BPS-5 to 15) who had faced disciplinary action. Thematic analysis was employed to uncover patterns of perceived disciplinary justice, highlighting how employees interpret, experience, and respond to organizational disciplinary policies in practice.