Managing Disruptive Behaviours

As a leader, have you been faced with an employee that consistently demonstrated behaviours that were disruptive to you, other employees or the general flow of the business?

When faced with an employee who is chronically defiant, disruptive or disrespectful, it’s not uncommon for a manager to hyper-focus on these disruptive behaviours and want them stopped immediately.

How confident are you in your ability to manage an employee demonstrating disruptive behaviours in the workplace?

Disruptive behaviours may include crying in meetings, yelling, slamming doors, being chronically late, constantly forgetting and making mistakes, drastic changes in appearance and dress, overreacting to feedback, constantly in conflict with peers, being overly sensitive to criticism, missing deadlines or appearing constantly stressed and anxious.

It would not be uncommon for a manager when correcting chronic disruptive behaviour to consider using progressive discipline up to and including termination if the behaviour doesn’t stop. Wanting the at-risk behaviour to stop immediately is the correct and the desired outcome.

Now let’s add another variable: what if the employee being disruptive has or may have a mental illness? Where’s your level of confidence now?

According to the Government of Canada, 1 in 3 Canadians will be affected by a mental illness in their lifetime and every year 1 in 7 Canadians utilize health services for a mental illness.

Employees with mental illness never have the right to engage in disruptive behaviours in the workplace that may put themselves or others at psychological or physical risk. Those employees require managers who are properly trained and understand how to fairly and properly manage them.

Some employees who experience a form of mental illness and display disruptive behaviours in the workplace unfortunately end up in a discipline situation rather than getting support and a proper accommodation. Mental illness can take different forms, such as substance use or dependency, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, acute stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

MANAGING DISRUPTIVE EMPLOYEES WHO MAY HAVE A MENTAL ILLNESS:

• Employees who have a mental illness are protected by human rights legislation, like any other disability, up to causing undue hardship such as financial cost, safety, size of organization, other employees’ health and morale for the employer.
• Where there’s a causal relationship between mental illness and disruptive behaviour, the employer must attempt to facilitate an accommodation before any consideration of discipline.
• Managers are not expected to be psychologists; however, they are expected to act on constructive knowledge. A manager who observes or hears from other employees to the point a pattern of disruptive behaviour is emerging ought to know that something is wrong.
• Once a manager acquires constructive knowledge, they have a duty to inquire and act. They should engage the employee in a safe, non-threatening and confidential conversation to discuss their behaviours, and ask if there’s something concerning them that can explain their behaviour. Managers are advised to get training to have these conversations.
• Managers can often leverage their employee and family assistance program (EAFP) manager for advice on how to have these conversations or consult with human resources, if available.
• It’s not uncommon for employees who are engaging in disruptive behaviours and have a mental illness to deny there’s an issue. Mental illness is complex, and carries stigma, fear and irrational thinking that can negatively influence judgement and reasoning.
• Managers need to be prepared for denial, and understand that if there’s a causal relationship between employees’ denial and fear about talking about their issue they are advised to not push. Slow the process by taking a break and discussing the case with human resources before accepting that there’s no need for accommodation, and move to progressive discipline.
• Whenever attempting to get an accommodation in place, it’s important that human resources document their efforts to accommodate and the employee’s reaction and level of participation with their medical professional.
• Employers frustrated by employees who don’t want to participate in the accommodation process will benefit from moving slowly to termination. Consider using different tactics first, such as suspension with a referral to EFAP, last-chance agreements that request the employee get medical information and professional help, and finally, work with the organization’s employment lawyer to define the limits for undue hardship, based on the facts of the case.
• If an employee’s behaviour escalates to violence, they are to be removed from the workplace until an accommodation can be fulfilled or it’s determined that termination is the best option. Dealing with disruptive employees who don’t have a mental illness can be taxing and challenging for managers who have not been properly trained in how to confront disruptive behaviour. Adding the complexity of mental illness can make a situation that much more difficult to handle. The more managers can be trained to deal with disruptive behaviour related to mental illness, the better for the employees involved, other employees, managers themselves and the entire organization.

Managing disruptive employees who may have a mental illness requires a thoughtful, compassionate, and well-informed approach. It is crucial for managers to be properly trained in recognizing the potential signs of mental illness and understanding how to facilitate reasonable accommodations when necessary. Open and respectful communication with employees is essential, as well as seeking support from human resources or other relevant resources within the organization. While dealing with disruptive behaviors can be challenging, a measured approach that prioritizes the well-being of all parties involved will ultimately lead to a healthier, more supportive workplace.