How Do You Handle a Long-time Employee Disrupting the Workplace Atmosphere?

Dear All,

Please help me with a serious matter. I have been working in an IT firm since July 2010. Initially, this organization was like a "LALLA COMPANY" with no rules and regulations in place. However, now we are implementing policies and functioning very operationally.

There are 4 to 5 employees who have been with the company for the past 6 to 7 years. One of them is causing disturbances in the company. The data I have on this individual is outdated. Therefore, I kindly request everyone to provide me with their updated information. Unfortunately, this employee is not cooperating and is creating unnecessary issues over trivial matters. In short, he is disrupting the company atmosphere.

I seek guidance on the steps to take regarding this individual as everyone in the office is facing problems because of him. His attitude, ego, language, body language, etc., are the main issues.

I acknowledge that all of you are knowledgeable and experienced individuals on this site and can offer me solutions from an HR perspective. Please advise me on the HR approach.

Thank you,
Simran Mandla.

Please speak to that person politely and inform them that the company has implemented some new rules and policies. All existing and new employees are required to adhere to the changes made in the organization.

Regards,
Kala.

Please make him realize how important he is in the company and that his behavior will affect others. Encourage him to coordinate with others for their mutual benefit.

Regards,
Rajdeep

Hi HR,

It will be dealt with psychological affection. Speak to him personally, have an interaction every day; he should not feel he has been out of care from you. Listen to his problems, provide solutions whether family or official issues. Make him understand the changing process through him; make him feel he is the key person for the implementation of policies and changes. Then see the impact.

Calvin

Show him how the new rules, etc., will benefit him personally. Once people see what's in it for them, they usually do the needful easily. Prove that these new things work for him and other employees; that is the best way.

Thank you for your valuable suggestions, but I have already completed all the necessary tasks. Today, he exceeded the limits of acceptable behavior. As a result, we held a meeting today to discuss our next steps. Could you all please inform me of the procedure for terminating an associate and what the full and final settlement entails?

Thank you.

Hello Simran,

You haven't responded to Neeru.singh1431's query - whether you spoke to the owner/director. I am sure there must be some background to this guy's case - which the director can brief you well. If he/she can't or doesn't want to brief you, then you better get out of that place fast - since it points to a very wrong perception/expectation of the HR function itself from the management.

I am saying this since you mentioned that "everyone in the office is facing a problem from him" - in which case, why was he tolerated for so long (you mentioned he has been working there for 6-7 years) by everyone? Is he related to the director? Quite a few other queries that beg for your inputs.

If what you want is a solution to the situation, better give all the inputs so that the members can advise/suggest you accurately. If you have already decided the 'causes' and the 'solution', then what you are asking this forum is the way to do it - which I think is both unfair (you are asking someone for advice without the full picture) and quite likely to boomerang on you later - being from HR, you will be the first one to face the flak if things go out of control.

Regards,
TS

Dear Simran,

It is very interesting. I would suggest you take some best samples of his nuisance behavior, mobilize some staff members, have a meeting with your MD or Owner, and lay out all the issues in front of him. Also, prepare a good show-cause notice and arrange to issue the same through your MD or Owner. Upon his reply, you can call for an external inquiry. Upon receiving the inquiry report, it will be easy for your organization to dismiss him.

Another option is non-cooperation from all levels towards this individual. Go in reverse by starting to find mistakes in his work and begin to criticize him in front of others.

All the best,
Murthy

Make him an important part of new policies, and give him the responsibility to implement some of the new initiatives. It's just insecurity, and closely document it for future case building.

Regards,
Vinod. K

Simran,

I am also facing the same problem, so my suggestion is, first, you talk to your senior. Though it is a small company, you can contact your COO and tell them that the employee's behavior is harming the process. Write a warning letter, and after issuing two letters if nothing improves, you can send a termination letter.

Regards,

Manaswita Rudra
HR Manager

Hi,

When you face an unwanted problem in the office premises, you have to be very silent and watch the person, even if he does unwanted things. If you are polite, automatically he will be silent. Then you can take the matter to your superior or even a higher official.

Alternatively, you can first speak to him about his importance face to face, explain his activities, and discuss the company rules and regulations. This approach can also help improve him and encourage him to change his behavior.

Thank you,
Kasinathan

Dear Simran,

I envy you for having only one troublemaker (normally people have multiple). I suggest the following steps:

1) Communicate this to your bosses and ensure their support.
2) Be cool-headed and catch him whenever he does something wrong. Issue him show-cause letters one after the other. If he is a clever guy, he would mend his ways. If not, issue him charge sheets, arrange for inquiries, and take disciplinary actions accordingly.
3) If he falls under the management category, you can discontinue his employment like other companies do by paying him off for the notice period.

Mohan

Issue a Show Cause Notice regarding his behavior and request an explanation within 3 days.

Upon his response, issue another show cause notice stating dissatisfaction with the reply, and inform that management has decided to conduct an external inquiry.

If he has not resigned by then, proceed with an external inquiry, gather all potential witnesses, and proceed with termination.

Alternatively, as per the appointment order, issue a termination notice and provide one month's salary or equivalent.

Dear Simran,

Now you are making policies for that company, right? In those policies, it would be better if you mention about a "conflict policy," "rude behavior," harassment policy, unnecessary creation of issues, and other related policies. If anyone violates these policies, you should specify the actions that should be initiated in the policy. According to the company's policies, everybody should work in the organization. In this way, you can terminate him with the coordination of management.

Varaprasad 09848911634

People with such a long association with any organization do tend to behave in such a fashion. They will be of the opinion that any policy or procedure does not apply to them and that they are above it.

Here, the problem is the ATTITUDE of the employee. Cut it. Make him the champion for some process that you want to implement. Give him more responsibility. Show that he is important and is part of the organization and can help it grow even stronger with the new set of processes and policies.

Regards,

Raghuveer