It wasn’t
what I expected that’s for sure….
Lap-dancing
clubs for corporate meetings
But having
worked in some very male dominated environments it has been the subject of a
number of investigations I have led that have often resulted in dismissal. I can recall one guy that used the company
systems to book an escort and others that sent shocking images to junior female
staff for a laugh.
In those days
male traders still entertained male clients at Spearmint Rhino and it would pop
out at lunchtime for a bottle of wine and to watch a quick semi naked dance
before they slithered back to their desks.
You could always tell who had. They had a far away glint in their eye.
It wasn’t nice.
Using
lap-dancing clubs as corporate venues certainly excluded women even if one did
get invites to go and watch and be one of the lads. Some women felt forced to
do this to progress their careers as it was where lots of deals were done as
well as recruitment.
I’d like to
say it doesn’t happen anymore but of course it still does.
Porn at work – hard to judge
In the days
before the internet, you would not expect to see someone sitting at their desk
reading Penthouse or something similar but there is a culture in some workplaces
of highly inappropriate emails being passed around.
Now I say
highly inappropriate because I am mindful that any pornographic image is
probably very offensive to some people and that most people wouldn’t feel it
was proper conduct in the workplace. And
of course it breaches the Equality Act as the employer has a duty to provide a
positive working environment for all.
But it
seems some people find this hard to judge.
Especially District Judge Timothy Bowles,
Immigration Judge Warren Grant and Deputy District Judge and Recorder Peter
Bullock who have all been removed from office for viewing pornography during
working hours via the judicial IT systems.
Penalities are severe (or should
be)
None of them work together so it looks to me like the
Judicial IT department have done a
random sweep of their systems and picked this up. Whenever I have done this in a workplace
(after issuing a code of conduct and a warning) it has always picked up people
mis-using the system and not expecting to get caught. And it is gross misconduct which means they
can be dismissed without pay. And they often are.
But often we don’t take senior folk to task enough. So I’m delighted that the Lord Chancellor and
the Lord Chief Justice have concluded it was an "inexcusable misuse"
of their official accounts and "wholly unacceptable conduct for a judicial
office holder". I firmly agree. If
you hold the office and take the salary you need to behave in a manner that is
fitting. We should expect the same standards from MPs and anyone in a senior or
responsible role.
What should you do if someone sends you an inappropriate
email?
Delete it without forwarding it. To anyone. Even yourself
at home.
What should you do if you receive a complaint that one of
your employees has done this?
Don’t do what I heard recently and delete the
inappropriate content. That just makes
you as the employer more culpable. You
must do an investigation and if appropriate discipline your employee. Make sure your IT and Communication policies
are fit for purpose and update them if not.