As an employer, not every employee is a dream to work with. That’s just the reality, unfortunately. Where things get trickier is when their behavior becomes unacceptable, dangerous, or damaging to the company or its people. Their actions might be against the company, an employee, a supplier or a visitor to the premises. It may become a legal issue too.
Here we look at some things that might happen and how to deal with them.
Harassment
When one employee is seen to be harassing another employee, it’s a serious issue. The person being harassed can complain that the employer is failing to provide a safe, healthy work environment because the behavior is not being appropriately handled.
The company should have an employee handbook that outlines the responsibilities of every employee. Within the pages, there needs to be a clear policy about what is and is not acceptable conduct. Where complete clarity is possible, matters should be stated plainly. Where there is room for interpretation, then language should be chosen that makes clear what is expected while leaving things a little more open-ended.
It’s a good idea to get help from a law firm that deals with drafting suitable employee handbooks. They have experience with the type of language that’s appropriate and avoiding missing out important sections.
Theft
Theft is an unfortunate reality in some businesses. It is more often a problem for retailers and warehouses, but offices can also experience it too. It’s difficult to imagine a situation where a theft that is clear and obvious – like when the person is caught red-handed walking out the front door with the item in their bag or purse – doesn’t become an instantly dismissible offense.
For companies that face someone coming onto the premises and stealing from the business, they have the option to hire a law firm like Tilden Law Firm with the intention of prosecuting the individual for the financial loss involved. A lawyer will be the best person to advise about the company’s rights in the situation and what legal options are open to the company.
Corporate Espionage
Corporate Espionage is a fancy term, but what it essentially means is that someone who works or worked for the company has been discovered to be sharing company “secrets” with a third-party. Most likely it is a competitor, but it can also be a foreign government aiming to advance their own industries too. It’s an increasingly common problem faced by companies.
Should this be discovered, this will require legal assistance to get good advice. Most certainly, the employee is going to lose their job, but the company will also be concerned about what information has already been provided and the business impact that might still cause.
It’s sometimes kind of incredible what employees manage to get up to while at work. Often, the guilty party is sometimes the last person anyone would have expected. This makes it difficult for companies to be watchful. Yet, they must always respond quickly and act appropriately when a serious problem has occurred with an employee.
