Insubordination In The Workplace

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Conflict in the workplace can be unpleasant, and insubordination is one of the worst offenders. This concept refers to any employee who intentionally disrespects or disobeys their managers or leadership teams or company rules and regulations. Insubordination can lead to disrespect and affect a manager’s ability to manage their team.

However, insubordination can sometimes feel like a broad term, especially if it isn’t defined in a company manual. Companies may define insubordination details differently, depending on the industry, type of company, and the leadership team’s attitude and professionalism. Below, we define insubordination and what it might look like in the workplace.

Key Takeaways:

Insubordination is when an individual refuses to perform a legal, ethical, and reasonable directive from a manager or supervisor when the instruction has previously been understood, acknowledged and agreed upon.
When a new employee joins a company, they are required to agree to a set of company rules and expectations, and when they do not comply with said rules and expectations, this is defined as insubordination.
Although insubordination may seem like it only affects a singular employee, this can be far from the truth. Insubordination can drastically affect the workplace and cost your business time and money.

What Is Insubordination?

Insubordination is defined as “defiance of authority, or the refusal to obey orders.” In the workplace, this means when an individual refuses to perform a legal, ethical, and reasonable directive from a manager or supervisor when the instruction has previously been understood, acknowledged and agreed upon.

Insubordination can also refer to an employee who is being purposefully disrespectful to a manager, leadership team, or business owner. This doesn’t refer to miscommunication or pushback but rather abusive communication towards another employee. The difference typically occurs in how the employee approaches the miscommunication.

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Insubordination can come in a variety of different forms inside the workplace. As described above, it typically occurs when an employee is purposefully disobeying or disrespecting an authority figure in the company. If the individual is intentionally defying the leader, it will typically be referred to as insubordination.

Typically, the situation arises after an individual in an authority position provides order to their employee, and that order is reasonable, ethical, and legal. The employee may hear the order and acknowledge it but refuse to execute it. In some situations, there may be discrepancies if the order is unethical, illegal, unsafe, or outside of their job responsibilities.

Typically when a new employee joins a company, they are required to agree to a set of company rules and expectations. When the employee does not comply with said rules and expectations, this can also be defined as insubordination. How employers handle this is typically left up to the executive team or human resources department.

How to Handle Insubordination in the Workplace

The first important piece of handling insubordination in the workplace is to recognize and understand what it looks like. Sometimes, individuals confuse insubordination with misconduct or pushback. Other times, insubordination can be overlooked because it is not accompanied by disrespect.

Next, be sure to communicate professionally without any room for interpretation. You must let your employees know that their conduct is unacceptable and against company policy. Next, try to understand the issue. Sometimes insubordination can be a result of miscommunication or a lack of clear boundaries. Whatever the case, it’s important to involve human resources.

Next, work with your employee to develop a plan to avoid future problems, as long as the insubordination does not result in their termination. Be sure to explain the consequences of any additional insubordination behavior, and document the incident with human resources. Finally, and most importantly, be sure to follow through with your employee.

You can also consider implementing preventative measures. This includes things like developing a clear company policy on what insubordination looks like and establishing clear boundaries for new employees, so they understand their expectations. Address insubordinate behavior early and consider incentives to boost morale for good behavior

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What Does Insubordination Look Like in the Workplace?

As mentioned above, insubordination can look different depending on the company, team, and leadership staff. Here are some common examples of what insubordination may look like in the workplace.

Refusal to complete. When an employee is ordered to perform a task that is within their job scope, and they refuse, this results in insubordination. For example, if an administrative assistant is instructed to send out an end-of-day email but decides to leave before this, that is insubordination.
Not showing up. When an employee is hired, they typically agree to a schedule or offer a flexible schedule to their employer. When an individual refuses to come in during their scheduled hours or shift, this can be an example of insubordination.
Leaving without notice. When an employee deliberately ends their shift before they’re scheduled to clock out, this can count as insubordination. Additionally, if they ask their employer if they can leave early and the employer says no, but the employee does it anyway, this is also insubordination.
Disrespect. Although a broad example, being disrespectful or purposefully argumentative can constitute insubordination. It depends on the employer, but this can be defined as rolling your eyes to using crude language and arguing back when instructed to perform a task.
Sabotage. Intentional sabotage on things like company property, plans, or sensitive information can be defined as insubordination as well. This can be something like not delivering something on its intended deadline or performing a task they were specifically asked not to do.

How Does Insubordination Affect the Workplace?

Although insubordination may seem like it only affects a singular employee, this can be far from the truth. Insubordination can drastically affect the workplace and cost your business time and money. Here are some ways insubordination affects the workplace:

Lowers production. When staff don’t meet their expectations or tend to their responsibilities, the production of the organization will decrease. If insubordination is not handled in a timely manner, you may see costly terminations and higher turnover rates.
Unhealthy work environment. When there is an insubordinate employee, they will tend to make other employees unhappy. Other team members may need to pitch in more effort to complete tasks which leads to increased stress and lower morale. These employees will also be less likely to collaborate or excel in their position.
Client loss. When an employee is being insubordinate, they may be a poor representation of your company in front of clients. When a client has a bad experience with your company, you have the potential to lose them.
Workplace issues. Insubordinate employees will typically instigate workplace problems or conflicts, which can create other disgruntled employees and stir agitation or anxiety among the rest of your staff.
Damaged brand reputation. Insubordinate employees may also look to spread rumors or leak classified information about your brand. They may look to leave negative reviews about your company online, which can be costly and time-consuming to remove.

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