One of the telling moments in the first few days of the Biden administration came during the swearing in via videoconferencing of departmental officers, when the new President warned he would not hesitate to terminate on the spot the employment of people he found to be disrespectful to colleagues.
It is easily missed in the continuing analysis of various executive orders and the continuously unfolding revelations about what went on during that day of infamy when a range of individuals and groups stormed the Capitol building on January 6.
Leave aside the discussions about the fairness and legal implications of such a move in the employment law context for the moment and instead focus on the tone from the top when it comes to respect.
Biden clearly enunciated a position as the head of the executive government in the United States that disrespect towards colleagues is not to be tolerated.
This swearing in ceremony was broadcast and his words were seen everywhere. Respect is fundamental in the workplace and anybody that failed to show it was serving in their position on borrowed time.
Time will tell whether the tone is acted on but what we do know is tone is critical and leaders should be prepared to set proper expectations.
It doesn’t matter what the corporate setting is because disrespect towards employees can have disastrous cultural consequences and cause serious reputational damage.
Just ask the Collingwood Football Club as it spends time grappling with the issues in the report related to systemic racism within the organisation. The report into systemic racism indicates a clear lack of leadership to deal with the issue.
Dealing with the issue, by the way, does not just mean worrying about the reputation of the place, getting the communications team activated and trying to bury the problem somehow by managing the coverage.
Dealing with it means confronting the problem and setting the right tone to ensure that the incidents that have caused hurt, discomfort and pain do not occur again.
Australia is coming up to the second anniversary tomorrow of the release of the final report of the Hayne Royal Commission. It’s been two years since the final report was released and the ills of corporate culture in the financial services sector across the board were discussed.
One of the key issues that emerged from the numerous inquiries that were held over almost two decades and the royal commission itself was the culture in financial services entities that placed profits above the well-being of clients.
What might be forgotten as a brief moment in the virtual swearing in ceremony for key staff responsible for delivering on the Biden’s administration’s agenda while the coronavirus package is being negotiated is important.
There is little point in having a corporate vision, a mission statement or a demand for good behaviour unless there are consequences for the breaking of rules.