How Can We Prevent Employee Exits Due to Sarcasm and Insults in the Workplace?

Handling Sensitive Employees in the Workplace

How should a sensitive employee be handled at the workplace? We recently had an employee leave our organization because another team member made sarcastic jokes. Additionally, senior employees sometimes insult juniors in front of other team members without considering the impact and later fail to acknowledge their behavior. How can we address and eliminate these issues in the office? Is it possible to create policies to prevent such occurrences?

Thanks in advance.

Deepa Sharma

You can draft a Code of Conduct wherein such acts would be treated as misconduct, and the employees would be liable to face disciplinary action if they commit these types of misconduct. All employees should be required to sign this Code of Conduct so that it is binding upon them.

Regards, S.K. Mittal
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy-Reasons]

Dear Deepa Sharma,

If an employee left the company because someone passed a sarcastic comment against them or seniors insulted their juniors in front of other team members, it clearly shows that your company has not taken steps to shape its culture.

Immediately discuss with top management and find ways to create a culture of respect in the workplace. One way is to train all employees on business etiquette and interpersonal skills. Another is to conduct a survey on the interpersonal environment within the company.

Seniors must be told emphatically that it is their duty to maintain the motivation of their subordinates, and their affronts are demotivating the juniors. This demotivation could result in more errors, which, in turn, could lead to customer dissatisfaction.

What you have quoted are just two visible cases. Nevertheless, there could be cases where an employee does not leave abruptly but neither gives their best. Such employees work only to protect their employment but do not show any affiliation to the company.

Lastly, please review your recruitment practices. Has your company employed low-IQ individuals? If so, they may continue to make mistakes, and no amount of sarcasm or shouting will reduce errors. Determine whether it is a recruitment problem. If so, start filling positions with individuals with higher grasping power.

In one company, there was a problem with a manager abusing subordinates. When an external consultant questioned him about his abusive conduct, he bluntly replied that he needed staff who understood polite language. If the staff does not work unless he shouts or abuses them, what can he do?

The challenge your company is facing is beyond the scope of simply framing a policy. If policies could change employee behavior so easily, the world would be a far nicer place. Even if you prepare a policy, any change could be temporary, and things might revert after a while.

Thanks, and feel free to approach me for assistance of any kind.

Dinesh Divekar