Pay and Benefits

There is simply no hiding from it; not everyone is happy at work. As strange as this may sound, some employees actually do not even like work, and many bemoan the fact that they have to get out of bed each morning to go and earn a living. While the majority of people who are not in their ideal career simply grind their teeth and get on with their respective role, there is still a fraction of the workforce that do not. Some of these employees will complain, insult, belittle and begrudge every aspect of their job – and subsequently the company they work for.

 

The key from a manager’s point of view is to make sure these rants do not negatively affect other employees and do not make it outside the confines of your business. Employers need an element of trust and confidence within their workforce that promotes a healthy and positive working environment, and naturally an employee needs trust in their management that reciprocates effort put into the business. However, if an employee did breach this trust, it could provide the employer with potential fair reason for dismissal. Depending on the nature of the “negative reports” from an employee, it could unequivocally damage a working relationship beyond repair.

 

Incidents of this nature should be dealt with professionally by using the correct disciplinary procedures that are available to you. The severity of any disciplinary action taken by you will depend on the nature and substance of what has occurred. For instance, comments made in jest inside the workplace between two colleagues in private would have to be considered differently to an employee who consciously made a statement on their own social networking website outside of working hours, which was broadcasted for all to see.

 

All instances of bad mouthing within your company should be investigated. This should be done to get to the bottom of the discrepancy and in order to act as a deterrent to any further negative acts. Where disciplinary action is necessary, the employee should be invited to a hearing and subsequently informed that their actions have been reported and could potentially result in their dismissal.

 

Once the hearing has been concluded you need to inform the worker of the final result and offer a right of appeal.

 

Danny Done is MD of Portfolio Payroll