A recent report by LRN Corporation reveals notable generational differences in how employees interact with their organisation’s code of conduct.
- Gen Z employees are significantly more likely to consult their employer’s code of conduct than older generations.
- Despite this frequent consultation, they are paradoxically more agreeable to bending rules to achieve work goals.
- Countries with prevalent code of conduct training see higher engagement, while those with less training show minimal usage.
- A gap persists in how different organisational levels perceive the importance and adherence to codes of conduct.
A recent analysis from LRN Corporation unveils stark generational contrasts in engagement with organisational codes of conduct, with Gen Z employees leading in consultation frequency. The report highlights that 63% of Gen Z employees are likely to consult their employer’s code, compared to just 49% of Boomers. However, a contradiction emerges as Gen Z also displays a greater tendency to consider rule-bending acceptable for achieving work objectives, posing challenges for ethics and compliance professionals.
In regions where code of conduct training is extensive, employee engagement significantly increases. In India and China, where training prevalence is notably high, employees frequently interact with their codes, with 47% and 40% respectively engaging ‘very often’. Contrastingly, in the Netherlands, where training is less widespread, 35% of employees reportedly never engage with their codes at all.
A disconnect exists between various levels of organisational hierarchy regarding the perceived importance and adherence to codes of conduct. While an overwhelming 90% of senior leaders trust in rigorous code adherence, this confidence wanes among middle management and significantly further among front-line workers, suggesting an urgent need for alignment across all levels.
Adoption of modernised, digital codes of conduct remains sluggish, despite an increase in available technological solutions. Employees demonstrate a preference for traditional formats over digital versions, indicating that organisations must better advocate the benefits of digital tools to enhance adoption.
Hybrid work settings have demonstrated a positive impact on code engagement. Employees operating in hybrid environments exhibit the highest levels of engagement with codes of conduct, underscoring the potential of balanced work arrangements in bolstering effective ethics and compliance programmes.
This generational divide in the approach to organisational codes of conduct highlights the complexity of fostering a unified ethical workplace culture.
