Poor workplace behavior can take several forms, including the following:
Workplace aggression: It refers to the repeated mistreatment of one or more employees with a malicious mix of humiliation, intimidation, and sabotage of performance. Often, a bully will use rumors, innuendos, and public discrediting to create a sterile, potentially hostile work environment and may gather others to participate. The Workplace Bullying Institute revealed that 37% of American workers have been bullied at work.
Disruptive work behavior: It can include yelling, tantrums, bullying, displaying the need for excessive control, disregard of duty, and insubordination.
Being unproductive: Uncommunicative employees, as well as those who regularly miss deadlines or fail to complete assigned work will, over time, hurt the company with their inattention and laziness.
Gossiping: Sharing negative, often untrue or incomplete, information about colleagues or company management can create tension and distrust in the workplace.
Oversharing: Many people feel uncomfortable when a co-worker overshares details of their personal or professional lives. Issues such as sexual behavior, indulgence in alcohol or drugs, or conflicts with supervisors are best addressed with one’s family, friends, or a therapist.
Inappropriate dress: It includes anything outside of the company dress code. Employers should be very specific when discussing expectations, including skirt lengths and types of clothes and shoes allowed or prohibited on “casual dress” days.
Educate employees
Give all managers learning tools to identify what’s inappropriate in the workplace and establish a company policy for handling such behavior. Also, be clear on what work behaviors are considered illegal – not just inappropriate. Be very specific on whom to approach and what to document when these situations arise. Often, taking proactive steps to coach employees about inappropriate behavior can prevent situations that can escalate to a hostile work environment and unlawful harassment.
Ensure that employees know what behaviors are acceptable and not in the workplace. Often, situations can be avoided by announcing expectations right away. Besides, employees should be able to approach their manager comfortably about inappropriate behaviors observed without punishment. Consider instructing employees on how to report inappropriate behavior to upper management.
Set an example
Executives and management should set the tone for acceptable behavior in the workplace. It’s hard to enforce policies if leaders are not adhering to them.
Enforce policies consistently
Be consistent with when and how you enforce your policies. Workplace behaviors are a tricky subject and become even more difficult to punish when one person gets away with displaying them but another doesn’t. inconsistent discipline can lead to discrimination claims. HR should ensure that the employee handbook establishes progressive disciplinary procedures, according to Xenium.
