As the leading authority on customer service and customer experience, an award-winning keynote speaker and best-selling author, Shep Hyken knows all about professionalism in the workplace.

"There is a big difference between looking professional and acting professional," he tells Bored Panda during our interview. "Wearing a suit and tie or 'formal business attire' is just part of the package. While it’s good for a first impression, employees and customers won’t love you because you look professional. They love you and want to do business or work with you because you are professional. You treat others with respect, honor commitments, are honest, responsive, and do what you say you will do without blaming others."

Resume Genius' career expert, Eva Chan agrees. "How you carry yourself matters far more than what you wear," says Chan. "A sharp suit might give the impression of professionalism, but real professionalism runs deeper — it’s how you act and conduct yourself at work. The way you treat colleagues and communicate in a workplace setting all count more than a blazer and a carefully curated Zoom background. At its core, professionalism is just being a decent human at work: respecting people’s time, pulling your weight, and handling yourself with integrity."

We all have bad days, but the experts say when an employee consistently behaves unprofessionally, it’s cause for concern. Hyken says examples of unprofessional behavior (whether from leaders or employees) include a lack of accountability – blaming others for mistakes or sloppy work, disrespectful communication – the tone of voice you use when talking to others, not responding to messages, etc., gossiping or 'behind-the-back' conversation – talking negatively about team members and the company, crossing the line, and apathy – not showing up on time, missing deadlines, laziness.

"Unethical or immoral behavior should never be accepted," warns Hyken. "In some cases, it may be 'legal' but that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable behavior.

"Unprofessional behavior isn’t always loud and obvious. Sometimes, it can be more insidious," Chan told Bored Panda. "It’s obviously unprofessional when there’s a person who’s blatantly rude or constantly interrupts during meetings, but sometimes it’s more subtle. There may be a coworker who gossips every chance they get or conveniently 'forgets' to credit a teammate for their idea. You might also come across someone who ignores emails until the last minute, all while leaving everyone else scrambling to pick up the slack."

She adds that managers can be just as bad by playing favorites, dismissing concerns, or setting unclear expectations only to blame the team when things go wrong. "In the end, unprofessional behavior like this chips away trust and weakens teamwork," cautions Chan.

"The way you treat someone is the way they will treat you and others," adds Hyken. "This is especially important for leadership, who set an example of how fellow employees and customers should be treated."

Both Chan and Hyken say it's important for managers to deal with unprofessionalism swiftly. "Rather than simply criticizing the behavior, offer examples of the right way to behave. Teach by example and set an expectation. When you notice a change, praise it," suggests Hyken.

"As you notice some consistency in the better behavior, continue to acknowledge and praise. The goal is to not just spot and criticize negative behavior, but to turn it into a good habit that aligns with the culture of the company."

Chan adds that managers should deal with unprofessional behavior quickly and directly but with some tact. "The worst thing a manager can do is ignore bad behavior until it spirals," she told us.

"A private conversation is usually the best first step as no one wants to be called out in front of their peers. If the issue keeps happening, though, there need to be consequences. A casual warning might work for small slip-ups, but if someone keeps disregarding workplace norms, it’s time for formal steps like performance improvement plans or even disciplinary action."

Hyken says it's important for management to lead by example. A “do as I say, not as I do” approach doesn’t work, he warns. "Demonstrating accountability is more important than ever at the leadership level. As a leader, blaming others for failures is a direct reflection on the leadership or management style," the expert told Bored Panda.

He adds that poor communication, or failing to share constructive feedback when criticizing employees, will not make things better. "Managers unwilling to coach and mentor a 'struggling' employee will result in little change over time," said Hyken.

"Bad management comes in many forms," Chan told Bored Panda. "Some managers micromanage every little detail, making it impossible for employees to do their jobs without constant interference. Others play favorites, giving special treatment to certain employees while overlooking the contributions of others. Some managers might keep changing expectations without clear communication, which can leave employees frustrated and unsure of what success even looks like."

Sometimes, what might be deemed unprofessional behavior is actually a result of employees not knowing exactly what’s expected of them. A Gallup survey revealed that understanding expectations in the workplace has taken a dive over recent years, and less than half of U.S. employees polled said they were fully aware of what’s expected of them in the workplace.

The same survey found that Americans don’t seem to rate their colleagues very highly when it comes to output on the job. Only 28% said their co-workers were committed to doing quality work. Even fewer (18%) said they themselves were satisfied with their current company.

Chan has some advice for anyone with a "Houdini manager" or one who has mastered the disappearing act and is never around when their team actually needs them. "If you’re dealing with this kind of leadership, start by documenting everything: dates, incidents, and any communication that highlights the issue. If the pattern continues, escalate it to HR or a higher-up," she advises.

"But if the company culture tolerates bad management and nothing changes? That’s a red flag. In that case, the best move might be to start looking for another workplace."

It's important to remember that often, someone's attitude at work might change when they're struggling with something in their personal life.

"Life happens," says Chan. "Good managers know employees aren’t immune to stress. As ideal as it would be, personal struggles don’t just disappear out of nowhere, and they can potentially spill into peoples’ work lives. The right move is to check in privately, offer support, and see if adjustments (like a lighter workload or flexible hours) can help."

However, the expert adds that personal issues aren’t a free pass for ongoing unprofessional behavior. "If it starts disrupting the team, there need to be clear expectations and a plan to course-correct. Compassion and accountability can coexist, but it’s strong leadership that’ll find the balance. And that starts with leading by example. If a manager is going to call out unprofessional behavior, they’d better hold themselves to the same standard."