Dignity at Work Standards of Behaviour in the Crown Prosection Service
Introduction by the Director of Public Prosecutions
“We are engaged in a radical programme of change in The CPS, with the aim of transforming the Service into a modern, respected organisation working to the highest standards. We want to be a prosecution authority of stature. We cannot achieve the highest standards on our prosecution work unless we have a commitment to the highest standards in the way we go about our work and the way we deal with our colleagues.
Each of us is responsible for creating, through what we do and how we behave each day, the organisation we work within. Our culture – an overused term, I know – is not something imposed on us from outside. We make it. And we therefore have the ability to change it.
We often operate to the highest standards in our prosecution work and our “internal” behaviour. But that is not always so. I know that there are too many people who feel uncomfortable about and even offended by some of the behaviour they see in our offices. We do not always treat our colleagues as well as we should. We do not always think hard enough about the effect our words and behaviour may have. The CPS is of necessity sometimes a stressful place to work. Tempers can occasionally run short. Resentments can grow. This undermines individuals’ self-esteem and gets in the way of providing a high quality and professional service to the public.
That is why this booklet is important. It is about respecting people and doing our jobs well. I hope you will take on board its message in that spirit.”
David Calvert-Smith, QC
Standards of behaviour in The Crown Prosecution Service
Introduction
All staff within The Crown Prosecution Service should be valued and treated with dignity and respect. It is important to ensure that discrimination does not occur in the workplace for reasons to do with:
Policy: CPS policy statement on Equality which includes a commitment to tackle discrimination at work.
Legality: discrimination on the grounds of race, gender and disability are potentially unlawful.
Efficiency: it is good management practice to ensure that all staff are valued. Staff experiencing discrimination are more likely to be demoralised, absent from work and leave.
Finance: the cost of litigation, staff absence and turnover is high.
Public perception: press reports on discrimination undermine the public’s confidence in the integrity of the service.
The Equality Statement issued in 1999 included a commitment “to create and sustain a working environment that is fair to all and free from discrimination, harassment, victimisation and bullying.” The statement also emphasized the fact that “everyone shares a responsibility for understanding the sensitivities and feelings of others.”
Dignity at Work All
employees are entitled:
To be treated with dignity, respect and courtesy.
To a workplace free from bullying, harassment or victimisation.
To experience no form of discrimination.
To be valued for their skills and abilities.
The Crown Prosecution Service will view unfair and discriminatory behaviour as a serious disciplinary offence that may lead to dismissal from the service. The Complaints Procedure provides a mechanism for staff to complain about this behaviour.
Managers at all levels are ultimately responsible for applying the Standards of Behaviour, everyone is responsible for their own behaviour.
These Standards of Behaviour cover relationships between a manager and staff they manage (including the way that a member of staff behaves towards their manager) and between staff as a peer group. Behaviour that is unwanted, unwelcome and undermines a person’s dignity at work is unacceptable behaviour. This includes behaviour that might unreasonably threaten a person’s job security, promotion prospects or create an intimidating working environment.
Behaviour may be perceived as unacceptable, even if there was no intent to cause offence. Behaviour may have overtones that a member of staff finds offensive, even if it was not directed at them.
Unacceptable behaviour can take many forms and can range from physical attack to subtle conduct. It can include actions, jokes or suggestions that might create a stressful working environment. It can also include the production, distribution, display or communication and discussion of material that may give rise to offence. It includes behaviour, which deliberately or inadvertently excludes individuals from normal activities in the workplace. Examples of behaviour, which can be seen as unacceptable, are given at the end.
Unacceptable behaviour excludes legitimate actions by a manager to encourage an employee to perform against key objectives and to manage performance appropriately. It also excludes legitimate actions taken within the disciplinary or other formal procedures. It does not exclude persons in authority who use their position to bully, abuse or harass others, or assume a threatening or intimidating management style. Practices, which are discriminatory or potentially discriminatory, do not count as legitimate action (for example, holding a team meeting at 7.30am, which can be potentially discriminatory against those with childcare or other responsibilities for dependants).
If you are subject to or witness unacceptable behaviour you can make use of the Complaints Procedure. Alternatively, please contact one of the contacts mentioned below for advice.
Responsibility for Standards of Behaviour:
The Board is responsible for implementing and reviewing policies and procedures including the Complaints Procedure and the Standards of Behaviour.
The Director and Chief Executive are responsible for ensuring that the Standards are communicated to all staff and that senior managers ensure that staff at all levels act according to the Standards.
Senior managers are responsible for ensuring that the Standards are distributed and known to all staff and that the posters on ‘Dignity at Work’ are displayed in all workplaces. They are responsible for ensuring that their own behaviour is of the highest standard and that appropriate and prompt action is taken on offensive behaviour.
All managers are responsible for setting a good example by treating all employees with dignity and respect. They are responsible for ensuring that all their staff are aware of the behaviour expected of them and that unacceptable behaviour is challenged and corrected.
Everyone is responsible for ensuring that they understand what the Standards of Behaviour require of them, that their conduct does not cause offence, that they should be prepared to support colleagues who are being harassed, bullied, victimised or discriminated against, that they speak out against unacceptable behaviour that they may have witnessed.
Responsibility for implementing or initiating action in relation to the Standards of Behaviour is the same as for complaints (see the procedure for details).
Useful contacts
Your Personnel Section
Counselling Unit
Trade Union (eg PSC, FDA)
Service Centres
National Black Crown Prosecution Association
For a copy of the complaints procedure contact Personnel at Headquarters on 020 7796 8170 or your local service centre.
Conclusion
The Standards of Behaviour will be enforced through the Complaints Procedure, the disciplinary procedure and existing mechanisms. It is essential that inappropriate behaviour is challenged and stopped. This can happen through informal or formal means.
Rohan Collier Head of Equality and Diversity
It is not possible to define ‘unacceptable behaviour’ as it is the effect the behaviour has on the recipient that makes it ‘unacceptable’. The following can only be used as a guide to assist in understanding what may be offensive whether intentional or not. It is not an exhaustive list of all behaviour that may be offensive or unacceptable, merely a guide as to the types of behaviour that may be included.
Bullying
May sometimes be described as a strong, firm or authoritarian management style, which may be experienced as bullying. This is different from an effective management style. It is destructive rather than constructive, it is criticism of a person rather than constructive criticism about their mistakes. It publicly humiliates rather than privately corrects and results in the individual feeling threatened or compromised. Bullying often results from a misuse of management power, but is also the misuse of any form of individual power, such as physical strength, personality or age, or collective power through strength of numbers (e.g. belonging to a particular gender or ethnic group).
Non-Verbal
Ostracising / freezing out Withholding essential info, resources, training Setting impossible tasks Changing priorities or objectives unreasonably Unreasonable allocations of duties or work Isolating, excluding behaviour Deliberate wrongful attributions of blame
Verbal
Shouting, swearing, abuse Nicknames, malicious gossip Public reprimand / humiliation Belittling, patronising comments Persistent reminders of past failures Unnecessary phone call to someone’s home
Physical
Striking / hitting Grabbing a person Pushing / jostling Practical jokes Initiation ceremonies Damaging / stealing a persons property
Disability harassment
Derogatory remarks, mimicking, invasive personal questions, staring, ostracising or patronising which is directed at any individual with a disability, or group of disabled people, which results in the individual(s) feeling threatened or compromised. Stereotyping or making assumptions about an individuals ability because of their disability.
Non-Verbal
Mimicking
Ignoring wishes and feelings
Ostracising, freezing out
Staring
Blatant excluding behaviour
Assuming disabled people have no sexuality
Holding team events at non accessible venues
Verbal
Making fun of disability
Mimicking speech impairment
Using inappropriate terms, e.g. cripple, spastic, handicapped
Questions and comments of a personal nature
Belittling or patronising comments or nicknames
Physical
Practical jokes
Hiding a disability aid
Moving a wheelchair Unsolicited touching of a visually impaired person
Harassment on the basis of age
Ridiculing or demanding behaviour focused towards people because of their age, regarding them as ‘too old’ or ‘too young’; or making assumptions about lifestyle based on perceived age.
Non-Verbal
Excluding from social functions/ information
Mimicking
Being written off
Verbal
Making fun of age
Questioning ability due to age
Patronising
Physical
Setting unrealistic challenges
Deliberate body contact
Harassment on the basis of sexual orientation
Behaviour which condemns or ridicules people because of their perceived or actual sexual identity. Derogatory remarks, jokes, graffiti which results in the individual feeling uncomfortable, excluded or threatened
Non-Verbal
Offensive letters/memos
Gestures
Inadvertently or deliberately avoiding or excluding, e.g. inviting their ‘spouse’ to an event (use “partner/ spouse/ friend” instead)
Verbal
Verbal abuse or threats
Making rude jokes or comments
Personal jokes
Physical
Starting fights
Deliberate body contact
Practical jokes
Harassment on the basis of working patterns
Behaviour, which fails to acknowledge that some people, do not work five days a week or 9.00 to 5.00 every day and that organisations operate effectively using a variety of working patterns.
Non-Verbal
Arranging team meetings/events on days that some people do not normally work
Isolating, excluding behaviour Not recognising the contribution of part time workers
Verbal
Making comments about not ‘pulling their weight’
Making comments about hours of work
Racial harassment
Derogatory remarks, racially explicit statements, graffiti, jokes, or any other action of a racist nature which is directed at any individual or group from a different ethnic background which results in the individual(s) feeling threatened or compromised.
Non-Verbal
Offensive gestures
Facial expressions
Offensive publications
Racist graffiti
Threatening behaviour I
Isolating, excluding behaviour
Verbal
Stereotyping
Verbal threats
Derogatory “nicknames”
Racist jokes/ ridicule
Physical
Jostling
Assault
Sexual harassment
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, or other conduct of sexual nature, which result in the individual feeling threatened or compromised. This is not restricted to attempts to initiate sexual relations. Sexual harassment is any harassing conduct based on the gender of the recipient. Most sexual harassment is experienced by women, but men also experience harassment.
Non-Verbal
Pin-ups
Offensive publications
ffensive letters/ memos
Unsolicited/ unwanted gifts
Gestures
Staring/Leering
Getting too close
Verbal
Use of affectionate names Personal questions/ comments
Innuendoes
Comments which exclude because of gender
Sexual/ explicit jokes
Suggestive, explicit language
Stereotyping
Physical
Unnecessary touching
Indecent exposure
Deliberate body contact
Singling out
Singling out people because of their gender, race, disability, religious belief, age, sexual orientation, and responsibilities for dependants or marital status can also constitute harassment even without any specific references to gender, race etc. Specific non verbal examples can be seen above under ‘bullying’. This can also apply to people who are perceived to not ‘fit in’. (Expecting people to ‘fit in’ is potentially discriminatory).
Victimisation
Where a person is treated less favourably than another because they have brought proceedings, given evidence or information, rejected advances or complained about the behaviour of someone who has been harassing, discriminating against, or in some other way intimidating them.
Equality Statement
Our Commitment
The Crown Prosecution Service values everybody’s contribution and believes that The CPS’ success and its future depend on the quality of service that we provide and on gaining the trust of the community we serve. If everyone is to feel valued and we are to help individuals give their best, our goal must be to create and sustain a working environment that is fair to all and free from discrimination, harassment, victimisation and bullying.
Through commitment, action and review, we want to ensure that we have the opportunity to benefit from employment, training and development appropriate to our abilities and regardless of our sex, colour, race or ethnic or national origin, disability, age, marital status or sexual orientation. In accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, we will also ensure that our prosecution decisions are free from bias or discrimination and that all defendants, victims and witnesses are treated fairly and with respect.
- We value the contribution which all individuals can make to the success of The CPS.
- We will strive, therefore, to ensure equality of opportunity for all to compete fairly within The CPS.
- We will provide a service which recognises and takes account of the diverse, multi cultural society in which we live.
Why?
- An environment which values the diversity of people and aims to enhance individual potential will:
- Recruit, retain and develop people on merit and attract the best staff from the widest pool of talent.
- Help to ensure that The CPS is an organisation where everyone can work free from prejudice and discrimination.
- Avoid incurring the direct costs of discrimination: reduced employee morale and motivation, financial and the cost to The CPS’ image resulting from adverse publicity.
A CPS which is diverse and representative of the local community, and where people value each other, will help us to improve the service we provide to all those who come into contact with us, including those who have suffered from sexual or racial violence and harassment.
How?
We will:
- Ensure consultation takes place, particularly with those in minority groups, on the development of equality initiatives.
- Ensure that employment selection decisions are based on objective, open, fair, non-discriminatory job related criteria, and that procedures are consistently applied and evaluated.
- Keep under review and improve our personnel processes and practices – including recruitment, selection, appraisal, substitution, temporary promotion, training and development, grievance, harassment, discipline and dismissal procedures – to ensure that they are open and transparent, do not discriminate and that they do encourage equality of representation.
- Collect and publish information on the sex, ethnic origin and disability of applicants for jobs, transfers, training and promotion, and compare this with information about the labour market and the people to whom we provide a service.
- Set measurable objectives and goals for future action and develop systems through which we can communicate and publicise our progress and achievements.
- Develop the potential of all staff, in particular, female, ethnic minority and disabled staff will be encouraged to apply, where they are under-represented. We will work positively to identify barriers to progress, including the acknowledgement of domestic circumstances, and take action to remove these or assist, including mentoring, coaching, and training/development.
- Monitor the career development of our staff by sex, ethnic origin and disability, examining the reasons for any significant disparities between different groups and developing appropriate action plans.
- Regularly train and educate line and personnel managers, and all other staff involved in the recruitment, selection and management of people, in order to increase awareness and understanding of equality and diversity issues.
- Take part in the wider programme of Civil Service and Government initiatives including Investors in People, the Lawrence Action Plan and the Programme for Action on Race.
- Ensure that everybody has access to, and can make use of the service we provide. We will ensure that adequate facilities will be put in place so that those with disabilities may make use of our services.
Who?
Everyone shares a responsibility for understanding the sensitivities and feelings of others and for making things happen. The Director and Chief Executive are fully committed to ensuring that the words contained in this statement are turned into actions. Individual obligations go hand in hand with collective responsibility and so we will create an environment of mutual support, tolerance and understanding, to deliver the best service possible to the community.
HQ will:
- Advise on the formulation of CPS policy and procedure on equality issues.
- Consider and advise on ways in which equality awareness in The CPS can be improved.
- Advise and make proposals on procedures for evaluating CPS policy and initiatives in order to take into account equality issues.
Each Area will:
- Develop and implement action plans which integrate equality explicitly as part of their long-term development strategies.
- Set goals and objectives for equality, regularly reviewing and reporting progress.
All managers will be accountable and will:
- Work to effect a change in behaviour and attitudes through developing a culture where diversity and individuality are valued.
- Lead by example.