Hi, Memo/warning letters are issued when there is a violation of the rules and regulations of the company, which amounts to misconduct. Based on the severity of the issue, either an oral warning or a written warning may be issued. Therefore, warning letters are based on the need and are not compulsory to keep 2-3 warnings in the personal file of the employee.
Having previously issued warnings in place will not make the process for termination easy. A previous warning may be supportive, but still, the proper disciplinary process should be followed, including a domestic inquiry. Termination cannot be issued directly based on a previous warning.
Yes, memo/warning letters are like bitter medicine to swallow, but HR, who is issuing the letter, should counsel the employee before issuing the warning and explain that such letters are issued to make the employee understand the severity of the misconduct.
If there is no fear of punishment, it will not be present among employees, and the issuance of such letters is inevitable when the situation demands.