Some workplace words we don’t hear as often anymore. Insubordination may be one of them.
The word can sound harsh or old-fashioned, conjuring up images of an employee defiantly saying, “You can’t tell me what to do.” But while the word may have fallen out of everyday workplace vocabulary, the concept behind it has not disappeared.
At its simplest, insubordination generally occurs when an employee knowingly refuses to follow a reasonable and lawful direction from someone with the authority to give it.
And yes, that still matters.
“I Didn’t Know I Had to Do It”
Today’s workplace encourages employees to ask questions, understand the “why,” provide various viewpoints, and participate in decisions. All of these can contribute to a healthy workplace culture.
However, somewhere along the way, the line between having a voice and having a veto can become blurred.
“I didn’t agree with the decision.”
“I didn’t think that was the best way to do it.”
“I told my supervisor I wasn’t comfortable with it.”
“I didn’t realize I had to do it if I disagreed.”
Those statements may explain an employee’s thinking. They don’t necessarily excuse the conduct.
There is an important difference between questioning a workplace direction and deciding independently that you don’t have to follow it.
Disagreement Is Not Insubordination
Employees do not have to agree with every decision their supervisor makes. Healthy workplaces leave room for questions, discussion, different perspectives, and respectful disagreement.
An employee might say:
“I don’t agree with this approach. May I explain why?”
That is very different from:
“I don’t agree with it, so I’m not doing it.”
The first invites a conversation. The second may become a conduct issue.
Likewise, employers need to be careful not to label every difficulty or refusal as insubordination. Employees may have legitimate reasons for questioning or declining a directive, including safety concerns, legal or ethical concerns, protected workplace activity, disability or religious accommodation issues, or other protected rights.
Insubordination is not about silencing employees. It is about the basic workplace expectation that employees follow legitimate directions connected to their jobs.
Why the Word Still Matters
Today’s workplace rightly stresses collaboration, employee voice, transparency, and explaining the “why” behind decisions.
Collaboration does not eliminate accountability.
Supervisors still have responsibility for directing work, establishing priorities, enforcing policies, meeting deadlines, and holding employees accountable. Employees can ask questions. They can disagree. They can offer alternatives.
Absent a legitimate reason not to comply, there comes a point when a reasonable workplace direction needs to be followed.
Organizations can run into trouble when supervisors become reluctant to say that clearly.
Repeatedly negotiating routine expectations, overlooking outright refusals, or letting employees decide which instructions to follow can quickly turn an individual conduct matter into a workplace culture problem and ongoing performance issues.
Other employees notice when expectations appear optional.
Before Calling It Insubordination
Before using the term, look carefully at what actually happened.
Was the instruction clear? Was it reasonable and job-related? Did the employee understand what was expected? Did the supervisor have authority to give the direction? Did the employee actually refuse? Was there a legitimate or protected reason for the refusal? Has the organization handled similar situations consistently?
Those questions matter.
And whenever possible, document the behavior, not simply the label.
Rather than writing:
“Employee was insubordinate.”
Document what occurred:
“The supervisor directed the employee to submit the completed report by 3:00 p.m. The employee stated that they understood the instruction but would not complete the report. When the supervisor repeated the direction and asked whether there was a reason the employee could not comply, the employee again declined.”
That tells the story.
Action Item: Put the Expectation in Writing
Review your organization’s conduct and disciplinary policies. Do they clearly establish that employees are expected to follow reasonable workplace directions?
If not, consider adding language such as:
Sample Policy Language
Failure to Follow Workplace Directions
Employees are expected to follow reasonable, lawful, and job-related instructions from supervisors, managers, and others authorized to direct their work. Employees are encouraged to ask questions, seek clarification, raise concerns, and, if necessary, respectfully express disagreement.
Knowingly refusing to follow a reasonable workplace direction without a legitimate basis may result in corrective action, up to and including termination of employment.
Nothing in this policy is intended to restrict employees from raising concerns about safety, discrimination, harassment, unlawful conduct, working conditions, requesting a reasonable accommodation, engaging in legally protected activity, or exercising other rights protected by applicable law.
When “I Didn’t Know” Isn’t Enough
Employees deserve clear expectations. Supervisors must communicate those expectations. Organizations need policies and practices that reinforce them consistently.
And employees also have responsibility for their choices at work.
If you have any questions regarding this topic or other HR questions or concerns, please contact us at HRServices@501c.com or (800) 358-2163.
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The information contained in this article is not a substitute for legal advice or counsel and has been pulled from multiple sources.
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