Employee Misconduct

How to handle employee misconduct and bad employees

In any workplace with a few or many employees, there are always going to be instances of employee misconduct. You, as a manager, cannot hide from it when it happens and must deal with it consistently, fairly, and quickly. It is critical workplace morale that you handle employee misconduct properly.

Forms of Employee Misconduct

There are several forms of employee misconduct and we will just discuss a few of the major ones. First, an employee can be disruptive and disturb others in the same work area. Sometimes, this can take on the form of employees who are comedians and spend more time being funny than doing work. In fact, many times these employees claim they are having fun to make it a better place to work. One form of being funny to the point of misconduct is with the use of e-mail and instant messaging.

Employees like to e-mail and instant message jokes around the office. But some employees take advantage of this form of quick communication and spend valuable time sending that perfect tidbit of humor. Big problems arise when one or more of the recipients do not find the joke funny or are offended by it. In some cases, this can lead to a lawsuit.

There is also employee misconduct when an employee is abusive or refuses to follow directions and instructions. Their personal behavior may make everyone around them uncomfortable or even form a hostile work environment. Sometimes these employees have a following of other coworkers who are just as abusive and insubordinate.

A third type of employee misconduct is when the employee has excessive absences either excuse or unexcused. Typically coworkers do not expect much from these employees and everyone is demoralized because of it. Usually other employees have to pick up additional work so the project gets done.

And lastly there is the employee who is criminal. This employee steals property, takes money, and does bodily harm to others.

Action Required Quickly

If left unattended to, misconduct will quickly demoralize the other employees you supervise. While everyone reacts differently, your top performers are usually going to be your first casualties of demoralization.

Finding out exactly what happened is the first action you as manager need to take in response to employee misconduct. Sometimes, exactly what happened is hard to decide because other employees may be too afraid to speak about it. But you have to get all the facts. If you fire an employee for this particular misconduct you had better have documentation. This means talking with the employee accused of misconduct. Most importantly always keep your ear to the ground.

Why you must fire a problem employee sooner than later