5 Biggest Mistakes Business Owners make that Lead to Employee Lawsuits

No games here, let’s dive right into it.

In no particular order, but take the necessary notes.

1. Disregarding the gentle nudge of the beginning stages of conflict

This is a quick way to create an open foundation for conflict to ignite and grow within your company. You should NEVER disregard your employees’ gestures or words when it comes to their vulnerability and humbleness in bringing an issue to you. They don’t do this to be labeled as a complainer but more so with the hope that you will impede and course-correct the issue. By doing nothing, it only causes your employee to begin to pull back and negate their trust in you, questioning your motives. Moreover, they may inadvertently look into any actions that they see as unfavorable or any sight of questionable behavior that appears to be abnormal.

2. Telling your employee they are being difficult

But are they really? Or are you not well-equipped and experienced to understand that some employees are not being difficult but rather challenging you with a concern that they may be experiencing issues or conflicts with others within your workplace that you may not be privy to? The first thing is to REFRAIN from telling an employee they are being difficult because it translates as them being hostile and can intensify unwanted behavioral situations. This is DANGEROUS because if you are wrong about this employee, you can guarantee you’re in trouble with the EEOC.

3. Enabling a hostile environment

If you are not addressing your managers or employees when they are acting out, it is enabling. If you overlook bad behavior with your fingers crossed or pray that it will go away, it is enabling. This can be the beginning of a class action suit or just a troubling workplace. You enable when you are aware of the conflict or issues at hand but yet turn the other cheek and do nothing. This WILL be the start of a nasty ending if you do not nip conflicts in the bud and find reconciliation quickly. If your team does not see you actively stepping in to help find a solution, it can lead to detrimental consequences.

4. Telling their employees they don’t have to work here and can quit anytime

Some managers are ego-driven and prideful. They feel that power equates to having the entitlement to treat employees in the manner they desire. When an employee comes to you about an issue that may make you uncomfortable, it is NOT appropriate to tell the employee that they don’t have to work here and can leave anytime. This will quickly induce offense because it is a passive-aggressive response, which can swiftly cause hostility and leave employees feeling unwanted, undervalued, and unappreciated. This will trigger your employees to scrutinize your attitude and behaviors towards them in retrospect and question every interaction they have had with you. This is dangerous because should anything be slightly jilted, they have now developed the perception of mistreatment and hostility.

5. Hiring bad seeds and employing them as your leadership team

It is crucial to conduct a thorough and cross-examining vetting process for individuals you choose to hire as your leadership team. If they do NOT share an interest in your business competencies, mission, and values, they may develop their own agenda within your organization. Without your knowledge, they can create their own competencies downstream that may involve verbal abuse, discrimination, or even systemic racism.

Long story short, proactively manage these 5 mistakes correctly, and EEOC won’t be knocking at your door.

Author: The Impartial Lab. (M. TIL)