Working in a healthy environment is very important for our well-being. In some cases, however, a rude, unstable, or nasty employee can ruin office productivity, intimidate colleagues, and lead to legal or security problems. Unfortunately, it is not easy for a manager to deal with aggressive or antagonistic behavior, and many supervisors have trouble disciplining their subordinates. However, by effectively communicating, following company procedures and documenting the incidents to be punished in the correct way, you will be able to plan and implement disciplinary actions that do not cause further problems.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Communicate with the Employee and their Colleagues
Step 1. Organize an informal meeting
The first step is to schedule a meeting with the employee in question. You will have the opportunity to resolve issues with him and to find out if there are other concerns to consider.
- Approach the employee in person and explain that you need to speak to him.
- Avoid disclosing information about the reason for the meeting. Don't say "I have to talk to her because her behavior has been unspeakable lately."
- Use an authoritative but calm tone of voice.
- Avoid scolding him in front of his colleagues.
- If for some reason you feel threatened by this person or are not comfortable in their presence, ask another supervisor, a member of management, or a representative of the human resources department to attend the meeting.
Step 2. Express your concerns
During the meeting with the employee, it is time to voice the problem. Make sure you do it correctly. When you talk to him:
- Be sure to express the problem firmly and explain that his behavior is not acceptable.
- An example sentence is "Your behavior in the last period has been disrespectful and unacceptable".
- Describe the problem specifically and explain how you should correct it.
Step 3. Give the employee a chance to speak
Once you have described your concerns, you need to give the insubordinate employee the opportunity to explain. This is important because you have to listen to both sides of the story before making a decision or pursuing disciplinary action.
- Do not investigate the employee's personal problems. If he begins to talk about his personal situation, pointing to the root of the problem in it, listen patiently, but do not delve into the subject.
- If you think the employee has explained himself sufficiently, you can say "From now on I expect you to behave with respect, like a model employee."
Step 4. Talk to other employees
After talking to the employee under review about his inappropriate behavior, you should discuss with his colleagues to see if he was holding the same attitude with other people as well. You may find that this is a widespread problem, more serious than you thought.
- Set up a short meeting in a private location with employees who work in contact with the person who has exhibited behavioral problems.
- Do not disclose information about the behavior of the employee under review and do not suggest that the employee has behavior problems. Simply ask what work experience colleagues have had with him.
- Ask employees what they think about the person having behavior problems as a colleague (and not as an individual).
- Ask employees general questions about their work environment and office "culture" recently.
- You should never, under any circumstances, gossip about the employee in question or divulge any personal or specific information about him. If you do, you could expose yourself to a lawsuit.
Step 5. Communicate with previous supervisors
If the employee in question has been working for your company for some time, they may have demonstrated similar problems under other supervisors. After speaking in your office with employees and other people with knowledge of the facts, you should contact the previous supervisor to see if the person has already had similar attitudes. This will allow you to set a precedent and identify a pattern of behavior so that you can solve the problem.
- Consult the logs for information on previous problems with other supervisors.
- If the person worked under another supervisor at your company, get in touch with him.
- Do not disclose specific behaviors to previous supervisors. Simply explain that you are having problems with a certain employee and ask if they have had similar experiences as well.
Part 2 of 3: Documenting Behavior
Step 1. Evaluate the behavior
After discussing this with the insubordinate employee, if the problem could not be resolved, you should begin the formal behavior review process. An assessment will allow you to gather evidence and document misconduct, so you can take disciplinary action. When evaluating employee behavior, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the behavior directed towards you, customers or colleagues?
- Is the behavior aggressive?
- Is the employee experiencing a personal problem that may be the cause of his or her behavior?
Step 2. Record the behavior
After assessing the situation and deciding to continue the bureaucratic process, you must begin documenting and recording the misconduct. This allows you to gather evidence to present to your superiors and the employee if they decide to oppose disciplinary action. Make sure you:
- Include dates and times.
- Include places.
- Include a detailed description of each incident, who reported it and any witnesses.
Step 3. Collect more evidence
Even if you have assessed and recorded an employee's behavior, you should still collect any other evidence against them. This will help show that his attitude was not an isolated incident, but that the employee demonstrates a constant tendency towards rudeness and insubordination.
- Talk to regular customers and ask if they've noticed these behaviors.
- Talk to colleagues and ask if they have noticed these behaviors.
- Look at records, invoices, or other evidence that can attest to the productivity level and overall effectiveness of the employee who has exhibited behavioral problems.
Part 3 of 3: Taking Disciplinary Action
Step 1. Consult the policies of the company
Once the insubordinate employee's behavior is documented and formally assessed, you should consult the company's policies regarding disciplinary action. This is especially important to know the exact process you need to follow. Make sure you:
- Read the manual for employees and check the section reserved for disciplinary actions. This way you can be sure that the employee knows what actions to expect.
- Consult with your line manager and let him know that you are about to take disciplinary action.
- Evaluate your actions very carefully before proceeding, because unjustified disciplinary action can expose the company to a lawsuit and cause you to be investigated by management.
Step 2. Contact the human resources department if your company has one
This department is designed to offer support and guidance to employees and management. Stay in touch with the department throughout the disciplinary action.
- According to company policy, a human resources representative may need to be present during all steps of disciplinary action.
- According to company policy, disciplinary action may need to be taken directly by the human resources department.
- If your company does not have an HR department, you can discuss the action plan with your boss or an experienced HR consultant.
Step 3. Establish an action plan
Based on your documentation, your assessment, and the company's guidelines, you will need to decide on disciplinary action. Almost all companies use progressive gravity actions to address an employee's behavioral or productivity problems. The most common disciplinary actions include the following steps:
- Oral discussion and warning.
- Written warning (up to three times, in the opinion of the supervisor).
- Dismissal.
Step 4. Take disciplinary action
Once you've decided on an action plan, you'll need to put it into practice. Start with the first step of your program.
- If this is the employee's first recall, you can start with an oral discussion and a warning. The purpose of the conversation is to let the employee know that he is doing something that is not acceptable in a work environment. It could also be an opportunity to solve the problem.
- If this is the second recall, move on to a formal warning letter. In the text, it begins with a brief description of past discussions and verbal warnings. Then, he expressly declares the behaviors or actions that led to the written warning, accompanied by the date of the incidents.
- If this is the third (or subsequent) time the employee has received disciplinary action, you can think about being fired. If the employee's behavior hasn't improved after two (or more) warnings, maybe firing is the only choice.
Warnings
- If your company does not distribute a manual to employees and does not have a code for the fair treatment of staff, any action regarding the hiring, management and punishment of employees exposes the company (and you) to legal risks.
- If an employee's behavior is violent or causes dangerous situations for the company or its employees, consider dismissal right away. In the case of threats of violence, you might consider even involving law enforcement.
