On a global scale, the report found that Gen Z employees are more likely to consult their employer’s code of conduct as compared to the older generation but are ironically 2.5 times more likely to agree that bending the rules is acceptable to “get the job done”.
Jim Walton, LRN Advisory Services Director and lead author of the report, recognises the importance of code of conducts in a company’s workplace culture, stating that “organisations must think strategically and creatively about how best to bridge the generational gaps”.
The report found a “clear correlation” between code of conduct trainings and usage. For example, in India where 97% of employees received code of conduct training, employees were most likely to engage “very often” with their code of conduct. In comparison, in Netherlands, where only 64% of employees had training, only 35% of employees were likely to engage “very often” with their code of conduct.
The report highlighted that a notable disconnect persists in how senior leaders, middle managers and front-line employees perceive the importance and use of the code of conduct. While 90% of senior managers believe the code is followed, this drops to 81% amongst middle managers and a mere 69% amongst front-line employees.
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The report stated that hybrid work appears to be a “sweet spot”, with employees in hybrid work arrangements showing the highest level of code engagement. It is suggested that a balanced approach to remote and in-office work is key to ensuring more effective E&C programmes.
Additionally, the report noted that code of conduct innovations are slow to be implemented. Despite organisations increasingly releasing web-based or interactive code of conducts, employees are 1.7 times more likely to prefer viewing the code in a traditional pdf format. This suggests that organisations need to educate employees on the benefits of digital tools to encourage adoption.
Technology such as artificial intelligence will be “critical to how these codes evolve in the years to come, so investing in innovative compliance tools – as well as ensuring these tools are accessible and trusted by employees across all demographics – is essential,” Walton notes.
