There’s one in every office. An employee who stalks the break room in search of food available on a first come, first served basis. While there’s nothing wrong with free-for-all food, it’s the other less talked about behavior of taking food belonging to someone else that needs to be addressed. Here’s how to deal with employees who eat other people’s food.
Most organizations have established policies to deal with different types of conduct, including theft. Plainly stated, eating other employees' lunches without permission is an act of theft and can create a hostile work environment. Here are some measures management or HR can take to properly address the situation.
Communicate the policy
Whether it's through written communication, visual aids or a combination of both, clearly convey the company's policy on theft to include food theft: The company's policy on theft should include stealing food from colleagues' lunches. Ensure that all employees are aware of this policy and the consequences for violating it. Though it may seem a bit excessive, it may be necessary to post signage on the break room refrigerator reminding employees to not each other people's food.
Investigate the situation
Don't accuse the suspected employee. Conduct a thorough investigation to determine who is responsible for stealing the food. This can involve reviewing security footage, interviewing witnesses, and/or asking employees to come forward if they have information about the incident.
Once the responsible employee has been identified, HR or management should meet with them to discuss the situation and the impact of their actions. This meeting should be conducted in a private and respectful manner.
Disciplinary action
Depending on the severity of the situation, you may need to take disciplinary action. This can range from a verbal warning to termination of employment. HR should ensure that any disciplinary action taken is consistent with the company's policies and procedures. While stealing food is unacceptable, the employee’s personal situation may contribute to their actions so remember to be considerate.
Provide resources, including education and training
In some instances, an alternative to discipline may be to assist the food-insecure employee with obtaining access to food. Additionally, your organization may desire to provide education and training to all employees on appropriate workplace behavior, including respecting the property of others and the importance of being inclusive.
It's important to handle this situation with urgency and professionalism to ensure that all impacted employees can be confident in the organization's ability to act decisively.
