Employee Conduct

What does right and wrong behaviour look like in the workplace? In the aftermath of the Partygate review and allegations of sexual misconduct at the CBI, you’d be forgiven if you said you were unsure. Reaction to both these divisive topics proves that employee conduct can be a very subjective matter. There is certainly a fine line between what is acceptable and unacceptable employee conduct in the modern workplace.

Let’s consider five workplace situations. Do you think these behaviours are acceptable or unacceptable?

1. Laughing when a colleague trips and falls

2. Gossiping about colleagues

3. An argument in a public space between two employees with clashing personalities

4. An employee who always has their camera switched off during video calls

5. Persistent lateness and absence

As you’ve no doubt guessed, there are no clear-cut answers here because we all have our own perceptions. If you asked a friend the same question, you’d probably both respond differently.

Creating a healthy culture where employees behave in a kind and respectful manner is something most organisations aspire to. In this blog we’re going to look at the role of leaders in embedding positive behaviours, how to approach difficult conversations about unacceptable conduct, and how leading by example contributes to positive workplace culture.

Employee conduct is a frequent cause of grievance

According to research by XpertHR, relationships with managers or colleagues is the most common reason to raise a grievance at work. It’s disheartening because teams find it difficult to work effectively when there’s tension between colleagues.

An increase in poor behaviour towards colleagues is a concerning theme. So where is this coming from? Perhaps it’s one of the knock-on effects of remote working. Is it that employees feel they can get away with more when they are less visible to others? It could be linked to the general malaise caused by the cost of living crisis or even the impact of social media on people’s behaviour and the words they feel are acceptable to use. Whatever the cause, poor employee conduct needs to be addressed through careful management, communication and by following proper guidelines.

Create a code of conduct

One of the first steps an organisation can take to promote positive employee conduct is to have a formal code of conduct in place. This should set out detailed guidelines and expectations of how the company expects its employees to behave at work. It should align with your company values and demonstrate good and bad examples of employee behaviours towards colleagues. The code of conduct may also take the form of distinct policies within an employee handbook.

When everyone is working to the same robust set of standards it gives clarity on what’s acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in the workplace, however this alone is not enough. Leaders and managers should be leading by example and visibly demonstrating the high standards and positive behaviours you expect.

Managing conversations sensitively

As a manager, whether you need to address persistent poor timekeeping, a breach of dress code, or an employee making a perceived racist or sexist comment, it’s important to take action. Here are some guidelines on the best approach to a difficult conversation about employee conduct.

1. Don’t walk on by. Remember, a leader needs to showcase the behaviours expected at work, so if you consider the comment to be offensive and in breach of employer guidelines, it’s important to act swiftly. Of course, there may be times when you cannot act immediately. In this situation, plan an appropriate time to speak to the employee about what you heard. Try not to leave it too long between the incident and conversation.

2. Approach with sensitivity. It’s important to approach any difficult conversation with sensitivity and respect for the other person’s feelings. Be considerate and compassionate. It may be a tricky subject but that’s no reason not to be kind.

3. Explain your reasons. Be clear about why the words you heard or the behaviour you witnessed are not what you expect from an employee of your organisation. Refer to your code of conduct or policy guidelines, if necessary.

4. Listen to their perspective. As previously mentioned, we all have different perceptions of what’s right and wrong. Ask why the employee said those words or acted in that way. Listen to the employee’s reasons for their conduct and try to appreciate or empathise with their point of view.

5. Manage your emotions. If the topic is very personal or the discussion becomes heated, emotions could easily run high. Try to remain calm and get your point across without causing offence. If the situation escalates, or you feel you cannot manage the conversation alone without one of you getting angry, frustrated or upset, suggest a meeting involving a HR representative who can mediate the discussion.

Take visible action on the offender’s conduct

In the event that an employee’s professional conduct requires further action, follow the appropriate policies and guidelines to escalate the situation with your HR representative. Use the appropriate channels to raise your grievance and share your concerns.

This may result in disciplinary proceedings against the employee. If this is the case, HR will likely get involved to offer support to both leader and employee.

Whatever the outcome of your conversation, it’s vital that leaders are seen to be calling out inappropriate behaviour and taking action on employee misconduct. This sets a good example for employees to follow when reporting incidents and concerns about colleague conduct, and makes clear the consequences for inappropriate behaviour.

If there are tangible outcomes to disciplinary proceedings, remember to share these with your team. Be open, honest and highlight company expectations.

How to be a good role model for behaviour management

Part of a leader’s role is to promote positive behaviours in the workplace. By role modelling the right attitude and approach, teams will learn and understand what’s expected of them at work.

In summary, conversations about employee conduct should be:

• Calm, kind and polite

• Led with integrity and respect

• Mindful of others’ feelings

• Two-way discussions

• Actionable, either through informal or formal channels

Further reading

If you’re looking to develop your skills as a leader, take a look at our blogs on Being a good leader and Leadership skills: communication and handling conflict or our free eBook download on Resolving conflict in the workplace.

How we can help you

If you would like to discuss any of the issues raised in this blog, please get in touch with us on 0161 941 2426. We’re here to help.