Positive workplace culture
Summary
A positive workplace culture can encourage ethical and supportive behaviours while discouraging fraudulent or corrupt activities. Staff will be less able to rationalise fraudulent or corrupt activities where a positive workplace culture exists. A culture built on honesty, transparency and integrity is a key organisational strength that can serve to reduce the risk of fraud. If weak countermeasures are the fuel, a bad culture can be the spark that ignites fraud and corruption.
Why this countermeasure matters
A bad workplace culture can lead to:
- incentives that encourage fraudulent or corrupt behaviour
- ‘win at all costs’ attitudes that disregard risks or unethical behaviour
- tolerances to cutting corners or workarounds
- bullying behaviour or staff being coerced to 'get on board with the program'
- demoralised or resentful staff who may then rationalise fraudulent or corrupt actions.
How you might apply this countermeasure
Some ways to implement this countermeasure include:
- creating a rewards and recognition program
- setting up health and wellbeing training and initiatives
- promoting an inclusive and supportive workplace culture
- providing training on ethical conduct and decision-making
- establishing open and transparent communication and decision-making.
How to check if your countermeasures are effective
Here are some ways to measure the effectiveness of this type of countermeasure:
- undertake a staff census with focused questions relating to workplace culture.
- review APSC Census Results if you are Commonwealth entity.
- undertake regular interviews of staff.
- complete quantitative and trend analysis of incidences of bullying and harassment, compensation, fraud and misconduct.
- review statistics of proven internal fraud and misconduct investigations within your entity or a specific part of your entity.
- review completion rates of relevant courses such as ethics training.
- analyse rates of staff turnover.
Related countermeasures
This type of countermeasure is supported by:
Establish governance, accountability and oversight of processes by using delegations and requiring committees and project boards to oversee critical decisions and risk. Good governance, accountability and oversight increases transparency and reduces the opportunity for fraud.
Assess the integrity of new employees, contractors or third parties such as by having entry level checks, probationary periods, suitability assessments or security vetting.
Provide staff with adequate training to increase likelihood that correct and consistent processes and decisions will be applied.
Help and support to customers, staff and third parties to help them follow correct processes and encourage them to comply with rules and processes and meet expectations.
Adequately resourced prevention and compliance areas enable entities to perform effective countermeasures.
Related Fraudster Personas
This countermeasure helps prevent, detect or respond to the following Fraudster Personas:
