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All Insights
Imagine this scenario: a senior manager causes a minor accident in the company car park and drives off without reporting it. A member of their team witnesses the incident. Shortly afterwards, that same manager is due to decide on the employee’s promotion. What would you do – report it, downplay it, or stay silent? The response in such moments reveals the true substance of a company’s culture.
Integrity is not only a moral principle – it is also an economic imperative. In times of declining trust, social polarisation and increasing pressure on leaders, integrity acts as both capital and compass. But it cannot be reduced to a few slogans pinned to a noticeboard or included in a code of contuct. Integrity must be lived, day in and day out. As Matthias Kiener, Head Forensic and Partner at Forvis Mazars, put it: “Corporate culture is like a tree. On rotting branches, only bad apples grow.”
This means that destructive employee behaviour should never be seen in isolation. In a Fireside Chat, Urs Baumeler, Chief Compliance Officer at SBB, and Prof. Dr Patrick Boss of ZHAW, stressed that studies attribute counterproductive behaviour equally to individual personality and to the conduct of direct supervisors. Leaders should also pay close attention to signals such as frequent absences, which often serve as early warning signs of waning motivation and growing ethical risk.
If organisations expect ethical behaviour, they must create the conditions for it – through trust, achievable goals, and a culture of open communication. Crucial here is the full buy-in of executive management, the board of directors, and leaders at all levels of the hierarchy. They must lead by example – especially when it becomes uncomfortable. They must accept difficult answers, encourage openness, and recognise that the ROI of a lived culture of integrity is long-term. They must also celebrate positive behaviour: “Do good and talk about it.” Success stories create the narrative space in which integrity becomes the norm.
Which concrete steps can leaders take immediately to stay in touch with their corporate culture? Group discussions at the Meet-up yielded a wealth of ideas. First and foremost: show genuine interest in employees – and make time to address issues proactively. Further suggestions included clear communication of values and expectations, nurturing an explicitly positive view of people, granting trust and freedom of action, and consciously investing time in culture work. It may sound demanding, but culture is not a “nice to have”. It is a long-term strategic investment – one that pays dividends directly into organisational performance.
all Insights
Imagine this scenario: a senior manager causes a minor accident in the company car park and drives off without reporting it. A member of their team witnesses the incident. Shortly afterwards, that same manager is due to decide on the employee’s promotion. What would you do – report it, downplay it, or stay silent? The response in such moments reveals the true substance of a company’s culture.
Integrity is not only a moral principle – it is also an economic imperative. In times of declining trust, social polarisation and increasing pressure on leaders, integrity acts as both capital and compass. But it cannot be reduced to a few slogans pinned to a noticeboard or included in a code of contuct. Integrity must be lived, day in and day out. As Matthias Kiener, Head Forensic and Partner at Forvis Mazars, put it: “Corporate culture is like a tree. On rotting branches, only bad apples grow.”
This means that destructive employee behaviour should never be seen in isolation. In a Fireside Chat, Urs Baumeler, Chief Compliance Officer at SBB, and Prof. Dr Patrick Boss of ZHAW, stressed that studies attribute counterproductive behaviour equally to individual personality and to the conduct of direct supervisors. Leaders should also pay close attention to signals such as frequent absences, which often serve as early warning signs of waning motivation and growing ethical risk.
If organisations expect ethical behaviour, they must create the conditions for it – through trust, achievable goals, and a culture of open communication. Crucial here is the full buy-in of executive management, the board of directors, and leaders at all levels of the hierarchy. They must lead by example – especially when it becomes uncomfortable. They must accept difficult answers, encourage openness, and recognise that the ROI of a lived culture of integrity is long-term. They must also celebrate positive behaviour: “Do good and talk about it.” Success stories create the narrative space in which integrity becomes the norm.
Which concrete steps can leaders take immediately to stay in touch with their corporate culture? Group discussions at the Meet-up yielded a wealth of ideas. First and foremost: show genuine interest in employees – and make time to address issues proactively. Further suggestions included clear communication of values and expectations, nurturing an explicitly positive view of people, granting trust and freedom of action, and consciously investing time in culture work. It may sound demanding, but culture is not a “nice to have”. It is a long-term strategic investment – one that pays dividends directly into organisational performance.
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