Spend lunch breaks and after-work hours putting your defense together. Addressing the issue promptly helps ensure that the problem employee’s attitude … In addition to your perpetual negativity, your non-stop gossiping, uncouth attitude and chronic complaining are making everyone dread coming into work. For instance, if you are receiving a warning for being late to work 10 times in a one-month period, and your boss says you cannot be late for the next four weeks. If this is the case and incidents remain ignored, employers could appear to be condoning behaviour which could amount to bullying, Thompson warns. It creates a toxic work environment. Attitude-Related Behaviors. Many employers don't reveal to the accused the written statement or accusations that form the basis for a workplace complaint. This is particularly true when the write-up -- i.e., the complaint about you -- relates to "attitude." Another manager even accused her of stealing … Of course, the manager then sent it up the flagpole and the lady was fired for "having a bad attitude." Her attitude makes it difficult for me to work with her, but every time I talk to her about anything she is so unpleasant about it and afterwards it is almost the silent treatment. Remain focused on your work. Therefore, you have few, if any, rights to read what your accuser has written or said about you. ... Swearing in front of a customer can be a bad reflection on the employee and the company's reputation. Cursing at work can be OK depending on the context, audience and tone. For example, you may be faulted for having a “bad attitude” or “not being engaged with a project.” How to Deal With a Boss Who Unfairly Accused You of Something You Did Not Do. Step 3: Suspend the Employee Who Has a Bad Attitude . Employers should not disregard bad language, and should use their discretion to decide if it has the potential to offend or cause harm to other employees. You won’t be doing yourself any favors if you make a big mistake at work because your mind is elsewhere. Other times, a warning may be about something a bit more nebulous. If you ever brought her name up, she was a "bad employee" and "couldn't get along with anybody." As I've said, we really value your work, but we value all of our employees. Unfortunately, all it can take is just one person who can transform the business into a toxic work environment. 5. Kat is a Midwest-based freelance writer, covering topics related to careers, productivity, and the freelance life. Workplace policies are more appropriate when they address behaviors that violate the company's expectations. Key to any workplace investigation is managing supporting documentation and … It is not possible to be falsely accused of a "bad attitude." If the employee is still not making progress, it's time for a suspension. One negative employee can have a tremendous affect on departmental morale and motivation. While it’s not unusual for employees to make negative remarks occasionally, a persistently bad attitude is a cause for concern. Yes, that's what I said -- not possible -- and that is a true statement. If your boss has wrongly accused you of something, your first reaction might be to lash out in anger or talk about him behind his back. Even as you begin to pull together a defense, you must continue to do your job well. In addition to The Muse, she's a contributor all over the web and dishes out research-backed advice for places like Atlassian, Trello, Toggl, Wrike, The Everygirl, FlexJobs, and more. Jobs can be tough enough without adding a false accusation to the mix. You can say: “We've talked about your attitude problem and the behavior our organization experiences because of it. "Attitude" is how others perceive you. For example, an employee accused of having a bad attitude might be disruptive in staff meetings, fail to show up for work … It's not improving. It is, of course, subjective.