In the wake of what is clearly a horrible, systemic and organizational-wide problem, the Canadian Armed Forces’s attitude towards sexual misconduct and assault is leaves room for cautious optimism. After years of encouraging an attitude of indifference towards sexual violence, the Canadian Forces’s new initiative has created a confidential reporting system that operates outside the chain of command, giving it the latitude to investigate and follow up on cases that in years past would be brushed under the rug. Most of all, the cultural changes that need to happen seem to be taking initial steps – instilling the idea that sexual misconduct is not just a “women’s problem.” I’ve found that in organizations where inappropriate or illegal behavior is condoned by employees, targeted individuals do not come forward for fear of retaliation. The steps the Canadian Forces’s leadership is taking should be closely followed, but if the culture successfully adapts to better serve targeted persons, it could serve as a model for other organizations seeking to make similar changes. Read more about the steps being taken at The Globe and Mail.
ThyssenKrupp Shifts its Corporate Culture
ThyssenKrupp's headquarters in Essen, Germany
This article shows a great example of a company shifting its corporate culture to great benefit for its business and employee well being. In addition to other modifications to their business model, Heinrich Hiesinger’s focus on “strongly reducing” hierarchy “so that truth has a chance to move up from bottom to top” has certainly changed ThyssenKrupp for the better. Read even more about this in The Wall Street Journal.
Photo Credit: Christian Richters for ArchDaily