A survey of 1,000 U.S. employees conducted by TalentLMS found that 71 percent said they feel protected at work, yet many report experiences that conflict with that perception.

Workplace misconduct appears common: 36 percent of respondents had witnessed incivility or disrespect, and 33 had actually experienced it; 29 percent had witnessed professional or social exclusion, and 24 percent had experienced it; and 25 percent had witnessed retaliation, while 21 percent had experienced retaliation after someone spoke up.

The survey links these conditions to retention risk, with 77 percent of employees indicating they would consider leaving their jobs if they did not feel protected.

Perceptions of unequal accountability contributed to mistrust, as nearly 62 percent of employees believed misconduct is more likely to be overlooked when high-performing employees or leaders are involved, and 45 percent had seen individuals promoted even after mistreating others.

Nearly half of respondents, 47 percent, said managers discourage reporting harassment or discrimination, while 42 percent worried that speaking up would cause them to be labeled as difficult. Another 25 percent admitted they had not reported incidents they witnessed or experienced. Among those who stayed silent, 56 percent doubted that reporting would make a difference, and 36 percent feared retaliation.

Training emerged as one of the main tools organizations use to address misconduct, with 60 percent of employees stating that compliance training has improved behavior in their workplace.

However, 45 percent viewed existing compliance training as disconnected from real situations at work, and 36 percent believed that better training using realistic scenarios and practical skills would reduce misconduct.

Source: https://businessjournaldaily.com/do-employees-feel-protected-at-work-survey-reveals-concerns/

So, the question for our readers is: Is Workplace Misconduct On The Rise?

Here is the opinion of one of the McCalmon editorial staff:

Jack McCalmon, Esq.

The survey states that more than 70 percent of those who responded feel protected at work. Obviously, responsible employers want 100 percent to feel protected. In my experience, the best way to make employees feel protected (and wanted) is through enforcement of clear policies prohibiting wrongdoing, as well as through consistent education and training on preventing wrongdoing and respecting boundaries.

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