Tips for Addressing Disrespectful Employee Behavior

Unfortunately some employees will behave in a disrespectful manner to either their manager or to their peers from time to time. It’s the manager’s job to observe, address and correct disrespectful behavior in the workplace.   

What are examples of disrespectful behavior? 

• Bullying
• Ignoring requests
• Eye Rolling
• Dirty Looks (unpleasant expressions)
• Sighing
• Clicking your tongue
• Giggling conspiratorially with another coworker
• Conduct, comment or display of behavior that would embarrass, humiliate, demean or belittle a person
• Offensive or inappropriate remarks or gestures
• Offensive or inappropriate jokes, including practical jokes
• Swearing
• Actions that invade privacy or personal property
• Rude comments including sarcasm
• Posters, calendars, cartoons that cause offense
• Spreading Rumors and gossip that could damage a person’s reputation
• Display or distribution of printed or electronic material that would offend
• Verbal abuse including yelling and name-calling
• Shunning, ignoring or isolating an individual
• Abuses of power such as threats, coercion or bullying 

Disrespectful behavior in the workplace can affect the overall work environment because it can cause tension in the workplace. Employees may feel uncomfortable coming to work and/or interacting with certain team members and overall employee productivity will be affected.   

The best tip is to always address poor behavior immediately. Do not wait until later to address poor behavior. Managers should not tolerate behavior that is unacceptable, negative and detrimental to the team. Far too often managers tolerate poor behavior and this tells the employee(s) that their behavior is acceptable. This in turn creates a culture for the company which teaches others that certain behaviors are “ok” causing more people to participate in the same poor behavior.  

You’re the manager. You have the right and duty to correct unacceptable behavior. Correct poor behavior as it occurs with an immediate verbal counsel. If the employee continues to display the same or similar behavior then the manager should have a formal counsel with the employee. The counseling should outline unacceptable behavior in the workplace and the employee should understand that disciplinary action will result if the employee participates in such behavior moving forward.