How to Deal With a Sneaky Boss A verbally abusive boss can decrease your motivation and make it difficult to do your job well. Do your best to avoid getting riled up. If the language she uses is vulgar and threatening, you could be so distracted from your duties that you're unable to perform your work efficiently. 3. View all posts. of respondents admitted to swearing in the workplace, and almost all of those who do swear say their colleagues also curse around the office. Dealing with difficult coworkers, bosses, customers, clients, and friends is a skill worth perfecting. Don’t threaten your coworker. Ever suspect that one of your co-workers is trying to sabotage you? If you have to spend a lot of time with people who talk about you behind your back, keep them at arm’s length. Eventually, you will probably have to deal with the employee regarding a work-related matter. Be cordial, but refuse to get close to gossipers. Thompson suggested that employers who find that swearing is an issue take the following into consideration: If there is a ‘no swearing’ policy, enforce it consistently against all employees who swear in the workplace. As this case shows, determining whether dismissal is an appropriate response to swearing in the workplace can be a difficult task. Many employees are offended by coworkers swearing in the workplace. Key takeaway: Prior warnings and repeated swearing at a person will give weight to an employer’s decision to dismiss an employee for swearing. Don't be afraid to confront the ladder-climbing coworker and question further how and why it is that you're getting orders — or ask diplomatically if they’re aware of something that you’re not. Address a potential conflict right away by talking to the employee about how her language affects your ability to do your job. Explain that you find her language offensive and disruptive, and that you'd appreciate it she would refrain from cursing in the workplace. Stay calm and objective as you outline the facts as you know them, explain the negative impact of his or her behavior and how it made other people feel, and make it … This was enough to justify dismissal of the employee. These people can lack basic interpersonal skills and might lash out at others. He’s got common-sense ideas on how to handle annoyers of all types: the Motormouth, the Sourpuss, the Superstar, and more. Swearing or cursing at an employee is not an effective way to handle a problem or issue, but not all companies have policies regarding acceptable behavior from supervisors. Sarah Cooper. While it may be difficult to confront your best worker about their attitude, it’s not impossible. Or … Of course, your co-workers’ annoying habits might well be a response to a stressful, dysfunctional workplace. Just because you have to be around them doesn’t mean you have to act like their best pal. In this case, give the employee the benefit of the doubt. The employer failed to take this factor into consideration along with the employee’s good service and work performance. Seeking support from management seems easy enough, but doing so in this instance has its ramifications as well. Key takeaway: Keep a level head and be fair. Employees who curse at home might believe it's fine and natural to curse in the workplace. When you need to address rudeness, talk to the offender somewhere private. Her first book, 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings, landed at #1 on Amazon in the Books > Humor > Business humor > Paperback books > Books with pages > Handheld books category. Your employer probably has an company handbook which probably prohibits inappropriate language. Collect concrete evidence Be calm and avoid confrontation. Employees who curse at home might believe it's fine and natural to curse in the workplace. Most companies today feature a multi-cultural workforce that consists of people with different religions, political affiliations and beliefs, so an employee who accepts and aims to learn about differences in background is far more likely to make a great team member. Further, there was inconsistency in the way the employer dealt with this matter. Over half (57 percent!) Simon has provided Australia’s leading companies with strategic commercial advice on occupational health and safety, workplace relations and employment law for more than 20 years. It’s inevitable—at almost any workplace you will run into “problem” coworkers. Instead, they need to consider all the circumstances and ensure they take a measured approach. Some of these types of problematic coworkers include the negative coworker, the overly competitive co-worker, the gossip, the bully, and the person who pushes off work. He has a particular focus on issues affecting the mining, energy and engineering industries, having been a senior adviser for the Australian Mines and Metals Association and representative of mining companies in Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. The conduct did, however, warrant a form of disciplinary action, other than dismissal.”. Deal directly with the culprit. Amongst other things, the employee allegedly swore several times while disputing the nurse’s diagnosis that he suffered from anxiety rather than asthma. Backstabbers at work come in several types; the question is how should you deal with a co-worker who double-crosses you? Sarah Cooper is an author and speaker. If your co-worker makes it sound like you are being a goody two shoes, tell them that you don’t mind their cursing, but they just need to stop being a bully or the UN is going to need to pass a binding resolution to keep you from conducting a policy of scorched Earth upon them. You could say it affects the company's reputation when customers hear employees cursing, or that it creates a stressful work environment to be constantly subjected to foul language. For these employees, there are three basic options: confront it, ignore it or seek help. If you choose to report your coworkers' behavior to your supervisor, give concrete reasons why cursing shouldn't be tolerated.