Unprofessional behavior in the workplace is more common than many leaders realize. It can take many forms, ranging from simple rudeness and gossip to outright incivility or even ethical failures. Few managers want to confront it. It’s understandable; these situations are unpleasant, emotionally charged, and often difficult to resolve.
Yet ignoring them is not an option. Managers must recognize and address unprofessional behavior immediately to prevent escalation.
Left unaddressed, unprofessional conduct damages productivity, drives away talent, and in some cases even exposes the organization to liability. The challenge for managers is to recognize that the problem exists and to be prepared with a thoughtful framework for responding when it does.
To start, face facts: there are probably more incidents at your organization than you know. Gallup research found that nearly one in four U.S. employees (23%) have personally seen or otherwise had first-hand knowledge of unethical behavior in their organization. But here’s the really troubling finding: “Less than half of employees (43%) who had first-hand awareness of unethical behavior in the past year within their organization say they reported it.”
That means many employers may be in the dark about the full scope of what is happening under their own roofs.
And the consequences can be substantial. Gallup also found that employees who are aware of unethical behavior in the workplace are:
Worse, left unchecked, bad behavior can spread. Researchers at the University of New Mexico have shown that rudeness in workplace culture tends to be “contagious,” pulling even well-intentioned employees into a downward spiral of incivility: “even good people are less polite when the workplace culture is infused with rudeness,” found Ryan Jacobson, an associate professor and behavioral scientist at UNM’s Anderson School of Management. (On the other hand, it’s likely the reverse is true too: workplace professionalism will spread if practiced widely.)
Finally, there’s a financial price tag, too. One analysis put the collective cost of workplace incivility at $2.1 billion annually in lost productivity across U.S. companies. “Fostering civility in the workplace is not just about politeness – it is a strategic business imperative,” argues Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
So, what should managers do? How can organizations respond constructively to unprofessional behavior before it metastasizes? The answer lies in developing a layered framework: prevent issues with clear policies, respond effectively when they arise, document consistently, and cultivate a culture where professionalism thrives.
Managers can handle unprofessional behavior in the workplace by setting clear expectations, addressing issues promptly, documenting incidents, and fostering a culture of respect. Effective responses include one-on-one conversations, coaching, or formal interventions. Consistency, transparency, and strong HR frameworks help prevent recurrence and reinforce professionalism across teams.
Clear expectations prevent most unprofessional behavior it starts. The first and most powerful tool managers have is clarity. Just setting smart policies can be extremely effective, as we talk about in depth here. When organizations define what workplace professionalism looks like, they equip employees to align their behavior accordingly.
These policies must be comprehensive, though. Smart employers set not only rules against harassment or misconduct but also expectations around respect, communication, and accountability. Such policies create a shared language that makes interventions more constructive.
When everyone is on the same page and every business professional understands clearly what’s expected of them, misunderstandings shrink and managers have a firm foundation for addressing problems if they arise. In the end, every employee must understand what professionalism looks like in action.
When prevention isn’t enough, managers face the harder task of responding. Each intervention must align with the underlying cause of the behavior. Research has identified five broad categories of interventions:
The intervention selected should match the type of behavioral change it is intended to catalyze. Many organizations stumble here, however. The researchers also found that most interventions insufficiently explain their rationale for using particular strategies.
HR and managers need to map their interventions to the specific drivers of behavior, this means managers must explain their rationale to maintain credibility. If the issue stems from eroding social cohesion, for example, a norm-setting initiative aimed at emphasizing collaboration and cooperation may work better than a punitive measure. Connecting the dots helps employees understand the “why,” not just the “what,” making the intervention more credible and effective.
No intervention is complete without documentation. Documentation is a legal safeguard and communication tool. Keeping a paper trail of problematic incidents is crucial, not only to protect the organization legally but also to provide clarity in conversations with any business professional involved in the incident.
Documentation also allows managers to show employees exactly what behaviors led to concern. This grounds feedback in evidence rather than vague impressions and helps avoid defensiveness. Documentation also makes follow-up conversations more constructive, helping to turn an often-uncomfortable confrontation into a problem-solving dialogue about expectations and change instead. No performance discussion is complete without evidence-based documentation.
When misconduct becomes widespread, culture - not individuals - is the problem. Most workplace interventions (95.7% of them, according to one study) target individuals rather than making institutional changes. But sometimes the problem is bigger than any one employee. If rudeness or unprofessionalism seems pervasive, it may reflect fractures in corporate culture and a lack of overall workplace professionalism rather than isolated misbehavior.
Here, broader efforts can make sense: company-wide awareness campaigns, leadership training, or initiatives to promote inclusion and respect. “Culture matters in this idea of civil behavior and civil expectations, as does leadership,” says Jim Link, SHRM’s Chief HR Officer. Leaders set the tone; if they tolerate or model unprofessional behavior, employees will take their cues accordingly. Leaders must model civility or risk legitimizing unprofessional behavior.
Even small steps, like workshops on workplace civility or incorporating professionalism into performance evaluations, signal that the organization values respect as much as results. Over time, these interventions strengthen the cultural fabric and make bad behavior less likely to take root.
None of this works if employees don’t trust the system. Trust determines whether employees report or remain silent. Gallup’s finding that less than half of employees report misconduct, combined with surveys showing more than a third of small business workers distrust their HR departments, underscores a fundamental challenge: silence.
Managers must ensure employees have safe, confidential, and trustworthy mechanisms for reporting incidents. Some examples of trustworthy mechanisms to report incidents are:
But more than the tool, employees need confidence that their concerns will be taken seriously and acted upon without retaliation or reprisal. Building that trust requires transparency about how reports are handled and follow-through when action is warranted. Transparency in follow-through coverts policy into credibility. For specific tips, read our guide on “7 Ways to Build Trust in HR.”
Managing behavior isn't enough; leaders must model the standards they expect. It’s important to remember that handling unprofessional behavior is not just about minimizing harm; it’s also about actively promoting good. Managers should model professionalism themselves by:
Celebrating professionalism as much as disciplining misconduct flips the narrative from punitive to aspirational. Employees are more likely to emulate the positive behavior they see rewarded. In plainer terms, when it comes to managing misbehavior, wield the proverbial carrot as an incentive as often as you wield the punitive stick.
Unprofessional behavior among business professionals may feel like a small problem compared to revenue, growth, or strategy. But as the research makes clear, its costs in morale, productivity, turnover, and liability are anything but small.
The good news is that HR and managers are far from powerless here. By setting clear expectations, choosing interventions thoughtfully, documenting consistently, addressing culture as needed, and building trust in reporting, leaders can handle misconduct in ways that both resolve immediate problems and strengthen the workplace long term. Ultimately, a good framework for managing unprofessional behavior will create a workplace where people can do their best work, together.
CoAdvantage, one of the nation’s largest Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs), helps small to mid-sized companies with HR administration, benefits, payroll, and compliance. To learn more about our Professional HR Administration Services, contact us today.
**The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information, we make no guarantees about its correctness, completeness, or applicability to your specific circumstances. Laws and regulations are subject to change, and you should consult a qualified legal professional before making any decisions based on the information provided here.