What Is Insubordination and How to Handle It?

When an employee doesn’t follow instructions, skirts around their assigned duties, or has a terrible attitude, it can be difficult for any team leader to manage. Not to mention, this type of behavior is toxic to team dynamics as it drags down team cohesion, morale, productivity, and ultimately performance.

Depending on the severity of the behavior of the employee, you may have a situation called insubordination. To help you determine if this is what you are dealing with, let’s recap some of the basics of insubordination.

What is Insubordination at Work?

Insubordination means an employee refuses to obey an order or follow a reasonable request from their direct leader or any seniority. This includes not following a policy or procedure outlined by the organization they work for or threatening or abusive behaviors.

Insubordination is considered a form of misconduct. It involves willful disobedience or disrespect towards a superior's authority, orders, or requests.

Keep in mind that not all situations are equal. Insubordination can mean different things in the workplace. The severity of actions and what is considered insubordination falls on a spectrum and has various disciplinary actions depending on the behavior demonstrated.

Is Insubordination Grounds For Termination?

Gross insubordination is a severe form of insubordination where an employee not only refuses to follow orders or requests from their direct leader or any senior leader but does so in an especially blatant or disrespectful manner.

This kind of behavior at the workplace can be grounds for termination. When an employee refuses to follow orders, disrespects superiors, or violates company policies, it disrupts workplace harmony and productivity. Depending on the severity and frequency of the behavior, as well as company policies, insubordination can lead to disciplinary action for insubordination, including termination.

An example of such behavior is when an employee repeatedly refuses to complete assigned tasks and openly disrespects their manager during team meetings. Despite multiple warnings, the employee continues this conduct, undermining the authority of their superiors. As a result, the employee can be fired for insubordination.

What Insubordination Is Not

Sometimes you may think you have a situation where an employee is insubordinate. However, for various reasons, that may not be the case. According to Monkhouse Law, an employment law firm, here are some examples of situations that are not insubordination in the workplace:

• The directions were unclear or misunderstood, which resulted in the employee not being able to follow through on the order
• The order was outside the scope of the employee’s outlined contractual duties
• The request was unethical, illegal, or unsafe
• The order is given by someone who does not have the authority
  
  

Examples of Insubordination

Insubordination can take many forms, ranging from minor instances of noncompliance to more severe actions, like gross insubordination mentioned earlier, that significantly disrupt the workplace.

Here are some examples of insubordination at the workplace:

Refusal to follow orders: An employee says "no" when their boss asks them to do something, like refusing to work on a project or following a certain procedure.

Disrespectful behavior: An employee uses rude or offensive language towards their boss, either privately or in front of others, showing they don't respect their formal authority.

Ignoring company policies: An employee repeatedly ignores company rules, like safety guidelines or dress codes, even after being reminded and warned. 

Publicly challenging authority: An employee openly questions or criticizes their manager’s decisions during meetings or in front of other team members, undermining their authority.

Persistent noncompliance: An employee consistently fails to complete tasks on time or according to the instructions given, despite multiple reminders and corrective actions from their supervisor.

Hostile actions: An employee shows aggressive behavior towards their boss, such as making threats or engaging in physical confrontations.

These examples illustrate various behaviors that can be considered insubordination, each of which can disrupt the workplace and necessitate appropriate disciplinary action.

How to Handle Insubordinate Employees? 

One of the most challenging times as a team leader is dealing with difficult situations, such as dealing with insubordination.

To effectively address insubordination in the workplace, it's crucial to understand how to prove insubordination and properly document it.

A detailed insubordination write-up is essential for this process. Start by documenting the incident with specific details, such as the date, time, and nature of the behavior. Collect witness statements and reference the company's code of conduct to demonstrate how the employee's actions violated established policies. Previous warnings and any prior disciplinary actions should also be included to show a pattern of behavior.

Knowing how to deal with employees who don't follow instructions is crucial for maintaining a productive and respectful workplace. No matter how many preventative measures you or your organization may have taken or policies in place, insubordination can happen since you can’t control the behaviors of others.

What Should You Do When Insubordination Happens?

One of the most challenging times as a team leader is dealing with difficult situations, such as dealing with insubordination. No matter how many preventative measures you or your organization may have taken or policies in place, insubordination can happen since you can’t control the behaviors of others.

As mentioned earlier, an insubordinate employee and their behavior is a spectrum and can have various consequences depending on the severity. In situations where it is less severe and more common, there are four steps leaders should follow.

1. Evaluate the situation
   When an employee refuses to perform an order, it is best to evaluate your role as the leader. For example, was the order you gave clear? Was the staff member aware that they were receiving a direct order? Or could your delivery have been misinterpreted as a suggestion? If so, this is not insubordination, and you should take responsibility for your actions or contributions to the outcome.
   
   
2. Remain calm and have a one-on-one conversation with the employee
   Having a conversation with the employee right away is the best next step. Set up a one-on-one meeting to hear their perspective, and clear up any misunderstandings, and if it was purely a misunderstanding, ask them for honest and constructive feedback on your delivery, so it does not happen again in the future.
   
   
3. Take further action if needed
   If you identify that the situation was a failure to perform an order or duty, it is best to end the conversation there and bring the matter to your human resources team. They will advise you on the next steps and consequences for this situation which could range from documentation of their employee, to filing a written warning, or termination.
   
   
4. Reflect and do what you can to reduce the chances of a recurrence
   Taking the time to evaluate how the situation could have been avoided is a valuable step to mitigate it from happening in the future. This practice is commonly referred to as a post-mortem or retrospective. 
   
   It is a chance to dig deeper into why things happened the way they did and brainstorm solutions. In the case of insubordination, ask questions like, are there new policies that need to be outlined in the employee handbook? Is training or a workshop required for employees? Would taking part in a leadership development program that develops the skills you need to speak with clarity and delegate effectively help avoid another instance like this from happening again?
   
   

Conclusion: Insubordination Isn’t Easy, but It’s an Inevitable Part of Leadership

Leading a team isn’t easy, primarily when insubordination occurs. If you don’t want it to derail your team’s morale and performance, then as difficult as it may be, it is best to immediately take the four steps outlined in this article and then, if necessary, loop in your human resources department.