It’s inevitable. There will always be one or two employees who will exhibit unprofessional behaviour. It could be that Human Resources missed the signs during hiring, or they’ve grown too comfortable to mind their actions. Either way, poor conduct needs to be addressed as soon as possible. When you do, make sure that you do it right, and it’s a solution that can prevent recurrences.
You’ll be glad to know that these solutions needn’t be complex or emotionally-charged. They’re simple, practical means that may even improve the work ethic in your company.
Breaking the Dress Code
It’s something schools have trained everybody to adhere to, yet some people still find it difficult to comply. Dress codes exist for many good reasons. They narrow your options, establish uniformity in the workplace, and boost productivity. When you have an increasing number of offenders, it’s time to introduce a work uniform.
Contrary to popular belief, uniforms don’t have to be restricting or boring. Look for options in corporate clothing that don’t only look good but also enable you to promote your brand. Skip the idea of designing a full outfit and go for shirts and jackets instead. Customise your lanyard, too. Well-designed uniforms positively impact your employees’ psychology and, consequently, their behaviour. You’ll find that they’ll become more conscious of their words and actions when they’re in uniform than when they aren’t.
Persistent Tardiness
There’s a monetary way to discourage tardiness. There’s also a compassionate way to address it. Yes, offering incentives for zero tardiness works. There’s nothing like financial compensation to get people out of bed and typing away on their computers before their expected clock-in. Motivation, however, isn’t always the prime suspect to persistent tardiness. This is especially true for people who experienced a sudden slump in their performance.
Should this happen, offer to sit down with this particular employee for a talk. Even your best employees aren’t immune to life’s challenges. Unbeknownst to you, they could be going through a divorce, a death in the family, or a health crisis. Tardiness can also be a sign of burnout. Instead of resorting straight to a notice from HR, try to figure out what’s going on behind the scenes. Identify ways that you can help. Your compassion will go a long way in improving your employees’ lives, as well as getting them back on track at work.
Bullying, Passive Aggression, and Harassment
There is problematic behaviour at work that you can resolve creatively and kindly, and there are those that you aren’t supposed to tolerate at all. Stressful as it may be, you need to put a threshold to these undesirable behaviours and know when to terminate.
A bad hire is a bad hire, no matter how you look at it. The worst part is that it costs you the money you can’t afford to lose. Terminating employees who bully others and exhibit passive-aggressiveness can create a rift in your team. This is why it’s important to remove the rotten apple as soon as possible. Otherwise, it might trigger other bad behaviour to develop. An entire team of unprofessional employees is a lot harder to deal with than one unprofessional person. Act quickly and hire wisely.
Tolerating Unprofessional Behaviour
At the end of the day, being unprofessional is a behaviour that you should not tolerate. It sends the wrong signal to your employees. It also serves as a breeding ground for new problems. Your best course of action is to remain vigilant and create a detailed plan on how your leadership team will handle such things. It’s with careful planning and even more careful execution that you’ll foster employees who perform with a high standard of professionalism.
