Workplaces are made up of people from various ages, genders, races and ethnicities, socioeconomic classes and more. There are times when professionals cross the line with their actions, language, or conduct that violate company policies, professional standards or legal protections and cause stress, conflict and risk. Luckily, there are a number of ways to change a culture like this into a more professional and appropriate atmosphere.
What is Inappropriate Behavior in the Workplace?
Acceptable and inappropriate behaviors must be spelled out in the code of conduct, and policies and procedures. Employees should be aware of behavioral expectations as well as boundaries that should not be crossed. Standards in behaviors should apply to all staff, including leadership. Some examples of inappropriate behaviors in the workplace include:
- Harassment (sexual comments, advances)
- Discrimination (unfair treatment based on personal characteristics)
- Bullying or intimidation (spreading rumors, threatening behavior)
- Insubordination (refusing work instructions)
- Unprofessional communication (profanity, offensive emails)
- Physical misconduct (aggression, bringing weapon to work)
- Conflicts of interest (working for personal gain)
- Violating company policies (substance use at work, misusing company resources)
Leadership’s Role in Accountability
Culture mirrors leadership behavior. Leaders must be the model of respect in communication and professional boundaries. They must maintain a zero-tolerance for inappropriate behavior under their watch. Managers must also be held accountable for the employees under their supervision. If leaders turn a blind eye to inappropriate behaviors, they will continue, possibly get worse, and the culture will not change.
Training and Reinforcing
Leaders must train for behavior and not just compliance. They should move beyond checkbox training and provide education on respectful communication, unconscious bias, power dynamics, and bystander intervention. In order to reinforce training and policies, leaders should align incentives and consequences for inappropriate behaviors, including:
- Tying promotions and bonuses to behavioral standards
- Recognizing and rewarding positive culture champions
- Document and address minor issues before they escalate
- Conduct regular culture pulse surveys
It’s important to remember “what gets rewarded gets repeated” when it comes to culture change, training, and reinforcement.
Addressing Root Causes
A final note on culture change to reduce or eliminate inappropriate behaviors in the workplace involves being open and honest about the root causes and staff behind the problem. Sometimes inappropriate behavior stems directly from sources like lack of leadership, high stress and burnout, toxic norms, lack of diversity or inclusion and poor lines of communication. It’s a good idea to look for root causes and sometimes specific employees that may be causing the problem and perform an appropriate intervention.
Final Thoughts on Culture Change to Reduce Inappropriate Behavior in the Workplace
People will be people. Leadership, employees, norms, and conditions create the workplace culture, whether its behaviors tend to be appropriate or inappropriate, professional or unprofessional. Beyond policies, procedures and checkbox training, leaders must take and communicate a firm stance on behavioral expectations and boundaries by being the ideal image of respect and accountability.