Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

A rude, arrogant, and unfriendly employee can disrupt workplace productivity, embarrass colleagues, ruin team relationships, and lead to potential legal or business safety issues. Dealing with aggressive and reluctant behavior is a daunting task for any leader. Resolving this devastating problem requires planning and confident action to avoid legal problems that you or your company may have.

Steps

1. 1 Document employee behavior including: dates, a detailed description of each incident who reported and witnessed the incident.
2. 2 Rate the behavior: Is this behavior directed at you, customers, employees? How aggressive is this behavior? Does the employee have personal concerns that affect their behavior?
3. 3 Read the company guidelines and policies regarding employee discipline.
4. 4 Contact your company's HR department for support and guidance. If your company does not have an HR department, you may want to discuss the action plan with your line manager or HR consultant.
5. 5 Develop a disciplinary action plan based on your documentation, conduct assessment, company guidelines and policies, or the advice of a HR consultant. Most companies have a described disciplinary process to deal with issues arising from employee behavior or job performance. Common disciplinary plans include: oral discussions and warnings, written warnings (up to three), termination of employment.
   • Oral discussion and warning. The purpose of a verbal warning is to let the employee know that he or she is doing something that is unacceptable in the workplace. It is also an opportunity to resolve the situation. Be aware that the employee may not understand that he or she is being abusive. Such a personal meeting can take from 15 minutes to an hour. Be open, calm and confident. Directly present specific examples of aggressive behavior and ask the employee if they have an explanation for their actions. Even though you are giving the employee the opportunity to explain his or her behavior, it is important to make it clear to him or her that such behavior is unacceptable. If the employee is willing to attend trainings or work with a mentor to improve their communication skills, schedule a meeting to discuss such an issue. Provide the employee with a copy (s) of the company policy page that explains the disciplinary action. After the meeting, document everything that was said or agreed upon.
   • Warning letter. If an employee continues to behave arrogantly, rudely, or unkindly, it is important to send the employee a warning letter immediately. Inconsistency on your part will only make the problem worse. In the warning letter, provide a brief summary of past discussions and issue a warning. Then, clearly describe the specific behavior or action that triggered the written warning and the date when it was done.
   • Termination of Employment: If employee behavior has not improved after three warning letters, consider terminating employment. Check with your HR manager, lawyer, or line manager before terminating any employee's employment contract.

Tips

• Tips for managers: To be confident and prepare for hostile employee responses during a verbal meeting, pre-role-play the meeting with another manager.

Warnings

• If your company does not have company guidelines and policies for treating employees fairly, they (and you) may be at right risk in hiring, managing, and imposing disciplinary action.
• If an employee's behavior is violent or creates a dangerous situation for the company or company employees, immediate termination of the employment contract should be considered.
• Be sure to consult with a lawyer if a disciplinary action is taken.

What do you need

• Company guidelines and policies
• Consultation with a lawyer