Corporate Culture – (the norms that define ‘why we exist,’ ‘what we believe in’ and ‘how we do things’) – dictates how employees treat each other and experience the workplace.

• If there is one thing on which we can surely all agree, it is that Communication is key..right?
• Organisations, big and small, invest time and resources in training all employees to be better communicators…right?
• So why is it that the really important social workplace messages don’t cut through?

From my experience, combined with those shared by so many others, it all boils down to culture, more importantly Corporate Culturee.

Following is an article which really does highlight the alarming incidence of inequality, bullying, harassment, intimidation and discrimination dispensed at the top of modern day Corporations – indicative of a complete lack of accountability, responsibility and duty of care, in turn putting everyone’s mental health well-being in jeopardy.

‘CEO dismissed for bad behaviour!’ (by Cathy Anderson, Editor at LinkedIn News)

‘The CEO of a premier building firm has been fired by the board over ‘threatening workplace conduct’, the latest in a string of Australian CEOs forced to leave over behavioural issues.

The Company’s Board has received complaints from employees over the past few months and a third party was appointed to investigate and work with this CEO to change his behaviour, reports The Australian Financial Review.

But the Company’s executive chairman said the CEO’s behaviour ‘remained inconsistent with the Company’s code of conduct’ and the Board decided to remove him.

Then there was this: A review headed by former Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, has revealed that a premiere global mining and resource Corporation has been exposed for breaches of anti-discrimination, bullying, intimidation and harassment legislation.

The Corporation’s CEO went on record to share the following comments, prefacing that the findings were “deeply disturbing, underlining the importance of the changes, (to Corporate Culture), the organisation was seeking.”

“I offer my heartfelt apology to every team member, past or present, who has suffered as a result of these behaviours. This is not the kind of company we want to be. I feel shame and enormous regret to have learned the extent to which bullying, sexual harassment and racism are happening.”

Even this: ‘Bullying civil action brought against prominent National media network presenter’ (by Levi Parsons, Daily Mail Australia, 2 February 2022)

Prominent national media network presenter accused of bullying in civil action brought by colleague and political journalist. The media presenter is accused of being part of a ‘toxic and un-supporting culture’. Humiliating and belittling were part of a ‘toxic culture of bullying at the media network’.

These stories rekindled memories from my past where I, along with my colleagues, were exposed to bullying, harassment, intimidation and discrimination at the hands of a toxic superior.

This in turn led me to carry out additional research into what exactly was at the heart of this anti-social behaviour in the workplace – to which it soon became apparent that it was Corporate Culture…more specifically a broken Corporate Culture.

As a direct result of these and many more revelations, The GHFC embarked on the ‘2022 Corporate Culture Survey’, distributed to The GHFC LinkedIn community of professional and likeminded employees and employers, as follows:

‘The GHFC 2022 survey with regard to ‘Corporate Culture and its alignment with the mental health well-being of all employees’, is an initiative to better understand how the community feels about the issue of endemic anti-social behaviour in the workplace, including Inequality, Discrimination, Bullying, Intimidation and Harassment, in turn resulting in reduced mental health well-being.’

What follows is a summary of community sentiment as at  16^th February 2022):

‘Anti-social behaviour is endemic in the workplace in 2022, with 71% of respondents acknowledging this!

The impact of this anti-social behaviour is highly visible, with over 80% of respondents having witnessed or experienced Inequality, Discrimination, Bullying, Intimidation and Harassment in their workplace – 20% within the last 6 months!!

It is the responsibility of the Organisations themselves to ensure their Corporate Culture proactively and strongly reacts to these anti-social activities – with 51% of respondents seeing this as the way ahead!

• 24%perceive those best placed to fix this anti-social attitude in the workplace are employees speaking up and taking affirmative action

• 20% perceive those best placed to fix this anti-social attitude in the workplace are the Organisations/Corporates themselves by legislation

• 5% perceive those best placed to fix this anti-social attitude in the workplace are an Independent Commission by ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance)

Failure to act will see employees relocating to an ‘Employer of Choice’, being an Organisation who’s Corporate Culture actively values the eradication of the anti-social workplace attitudes of Inequality, Discrimination, Bullying, Intimidation and Harassment – with 92% of respondents supporting this statement!’

The survey is still open and will stay open until the responses dry up.

Have your say at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V8FBL8Z

Remember, if you or anyone you know needs advice and support, please call:

Mates in Construction 1300 642 111

Beyond Blue 1300 224 636

Lifeline 13 11 14