One of the issues that is almost always present in the workplace, regardless of the culture of camaraderie, ethics, and teamwork being cultivated, is insubordination. There is always one or two employees with bad attitudes and who refuse to work for the job that they signed up in. It’s just too bad that the recruitment officer did not see the disruptive behavior behind an employee’s smiling and friendly façade before they were hired. But now that they are part of the organization, kicking them out would not be as easy.

Insubordinate behavior, however, is grounds for termination. But before any action is taken against a problematic employee, it is vital that he is aware about company policies pertaining to insubordination, or that HR officers made it perfectly clear what constitutes insubordination in the company handbook or during employee orientation. The lack thereof can lead to confusion, and might even give an insubordinate employee the upper hand.

What Exactly Is Insubordination In The Workplace?
If it was anywhere else but in the office, insubordination can refer to someone who is disrespectful or disobedient. But its definition is more specific in a corporate setting, and should not be confused with insolence. Insubordination at work is when an employee refuses to obey a direct order from a supervisor. In a legal aspect, it can also mean willful or intentional disobedience of a lawful and reasonable request by a supervisor. It may also refer to disrespect or harassment that is directed toward a superior.

The California Supreme Court defined it as “a refusal to obey some order which a superior officer is entitled to give and entitled to have obeyed”, which has been expanded by the Employment Development Department of California to cover other situations — “(1) disobeying an employer’s order or instruction, (2) disputing or ridiculing authority, (3) exceeding authority or (4) using vulgar or profane language towards a supervisor”.

Although the gist of the definition is almost the same, insubordination can take many forms. Apart from refusal to carry out work, it also constitutes non-performance, inappropriate comments, confrontation, inappropriate language, and even non-verbal expression of dissatisfaction, such as eye rolling as a gesture of disrespect. Considering these situations, it is important that HR officers clearly define what constitutes insubordination in the workplace.