Authored by Gemma McCall, CEO and co-founder of Culture Shift, the impact software business that builds products to empower organisations to tackle harassment and bullying.
If the last two years have taught the UK’s workforce anything, it’s what is important to them. Whether that be spending time with friends and family, enjoying their job or having more time to themselves, the pandemic has undoubtedly led to workers reassessing their current role and becoming more mindful of workplace culture and its impact.
No matter the size of the organisation, providing employees with a workplace that is safe and promotes positive culture should be at the top of every leader’s agenda.
However, our latest research reveals that almost two in five (38%) working across the legal sector have experienced bullying, harassment or discrimination at work, while 41% have witnessed this type of behaviour. This is an incredibly concerning statistic. But, what impact is toxic workplace culture having on organisations and their employees, and what can law firms do to address the issue before it’s too late?
Negative workplace culture and its impact on lawyers
As a direct result of toxic workplace experiences, more than half of legal workers say their mental health has been impacted. Often, people presume that problematic behaviour only impacts those experiencing it, however, our research shows otherwise. Employees who feel valued and appreciated at work typically thrive, work better as a team and deliver stronger results. But, in contrast, those who are working in toxic environments are more likely to be impacted by absenteeism and presenteeism.
Half of the workers in the legal sector say their productivity has been impacted by toxic workplace culture, while over a fifth has had to take time off due to an incident that occurred at work.
Almost two-fifths of those in the legal industry have been less engaged with their job due to the company having a poor workplace culture and almost one-in-five have called in sick, costing organisations billions of pounds through lost productivity each year.
The research also uncovered more than a quarter (29%) of those working in the legal industry would leave an organisation as soon as they could find a new job if they experienced or witnessed bullying or harassment. Whilst almost half (46%) would encourage a colleague to seek legal advice if they knew they were experiencing toxic workplace behaviour.
These figures show the impact of toxic workplace culture shouldn’t be underestimated. What’s even more concerning is that a third (33%) wouldn’t address or raise concerns in annual company feedback surveys, with over a quarter (27%) saying they wouldn’t report a case of bullying if inflicted by a senior colleague due to fear of penalisation or professional repercussions.
There is clearly more work to be done across the sector to stamp out toxic workplace culture, but what can organisations across the sector do to protect their employees and ultimately their organisation overall?
Tackling problematic workplace behaviour
Organisations that treat their employees fairly, actively adopt the appropriate anti-discrimination and harassment protocols, foster a truly speak-up culture and work constantly to create safe and supportive environments that will thrive and flourish.
There’s clearly still work to be done considering a third of legal sector workers wouldn’t report toxic behaviour even if it was happening at present. Some organisations will already have reporting platforms in place to enable employees to safely report instances of bullying or harassment, but these figures highlight the importance of investing in ways to listen to your team all year round.
It’s very difficult to encourage people to speak up, especially if the issue they’re facing is caused by senior members of the team. By having a platform that allows anonymous reporting, employees can have peace of mind that there won’t be any repercussions. In fact, our research shows that almost two thirds (65%) of those in the sector say they would be far more likely to report bullying if there were anonymous systems in place to help them do so.
Conclusion
Reporting platforms of this nature help organisations keep track of any issues and allow them to gauge a detailed picture of the organisation’s culture, enabling them to protect their culture and make improvements.
Further to this, organisations should not only signpost to these platforms but actively encourage employees to use them, with those that do speak out encouraged and supported for doing so, rather than perpetuating any stigma. It’s vital to offer employees an online solution, preferably with an anonymous option, as there is still a long way to go to build up trust between employees and HR departments before everyone feels comfortable enough to speak out about what they’re experiencing face-to-face.
To access the full ‘paying the price for problematic behaviour report,’ visit https://info.culture-shift.co.uk/paying-the-price.
The research
The survey asked 1,000 employees, including at least 100 from the legal sector, about the culture within their workplace. They were surveyed on their experiences, incidents they’ve either witnessed or bore the brunt of, and the impact this had on them. In addition, 100 respondents who have experienced problematic behaviour, such as bullying or harassment at work and have received a pay-out as a result were surveyed, to uncover the true extent experiencing incidents of this nature has had on other areas of their lives. Lastly, 20 investors who have at least £100K in investments, who aren't angel investors and invest in FTSE100 companies were surveyed, to understand what is important to them when investing and what would cause them to cut ties with a business.
About Culture Shift
Culture Shift is an impact software business that exists to lead a positive change in organisational culture. Its proprietary online reporting platform gives organisations the insight they need to monitor and prevent bullying and harassment in educational institutions and workplaces. The software allows users to report any incident safely and anonymously and access further support – enabling organisations to take a proactive and preventative approach to protecting their culture.
Already working with over 80 of the UK’s biggest universities, as well as a number of corporate businesses and public sector organisations, Culture Shift has a proven track record of activating change for the better and eliminating the stigma around reporting any form of harassment.
For further information, please visit culture-shift.co.uk
