The survey of 1,000 UK professionals by charity A Blueprint for Better Business has found that more than half have witnessed, or been asked to do, something unethical at work. It revealed that just 2 per cent would definitely refuse to take part in something that made them feel uncomfortable at work, while almost half would voice their concerns but go ahead with the activity anyway. Women are more likely to seek out an ethical solution than men, with 36 per cent saying they would propose an alternative action they did feel comfortable with, compared with just 30 per cent of their male counterparts.
The survey also finds a strong link between ethical awareness and staff retention, with more than a third saying they were tempted to change jobs because of behaviours and actions they witnessed in the workplace, with 15 per cent reporting they had left a role for this reason. Only 9 per cent said that experiencing inappropriate or uncomfortable behaviour would not be a good enough reason to leave a job.
