HR MANAGEMENT - The Principles of Dealing With Insubordination

The Principles of Dealing With Insubordination

by Diane Lynn, Demand Media

An insubordinate employee can set a bad example for other employees.

An insubordinate employee undermines your authority by his refusal to complete tasks you assign as part of his job. Insubordination may occur because an employee wants more power, is under stress or is simply acting rebellious. While you may be tempted to automatically terminate an insubordinate employee, it is wise to follow steps outlined in your employee policy handbook to ensure you apply employee discipline fairly and consistently.

Definition and Dangers

As with any disciplinary problem, evaluating the circumstances surrounding the insubordination gives you a clear picture of the problem. In some cases, the employee may refuse to perform an assigned task he perceives as dangerous or illegal. In other cases, the employee is disobeying instructions or company rules deliberately. Investigate the incident by holding separate interviews with the supervisor and the employee. If the employee's insubordination was in an attempt to avoid a perceived or real dangerous situation, take corrective actions immediately.

Evaluate the Circumstances

As with any disciplinary problem, evaluating the circumstances surrounding the insubordination gives you a clear picture of the problem. In some cases, the employee may refuse to perform an assigned task he perceives as dangerous or illegal. In other cases, the employee is disobeying instructions or company rules deliberately. Investigate the incident by holding separate interviews with the supervisor and the employee. If the employee's insubordination was in an attempt to avoid a perceived or real dangerous situation, take corrective actions immediately.

Consult Your Policy

Dealing with the insubordinate employee involves consulting your employee handbook or contacting your attorney. Follow your established disciplinary procedures to avoid opening your organization up to a lawsuit, should you find it necessary to terminate the employee. A policy on insubordination may include a verbal warning, a written warning, a suspension or even termination. If you do not have a human resources person on staff, call your attorney before terminating an employee to verify you have adequate cause and documentation.

Correct Behavior

When dealing with insubordinate employees, examine the relationship between the supervisor and employee as you follow your disciplinary procedures to ensure the supervisor is making reasonable requests in a professional manner. Communication missteps may cause some types of ostensible insubordination, if the employees do not completely understand company policies or supervisor requests. After you issue a warning to the employee, follow up with an evaluation of his work and attitude toward authority to ensure the problem does not repeat itself. If during the follow-up evaluation you find that the employee is continuing to behave in an insubordinate manner, termination may be your last recourse.