Conduct and Standards

What this policy covers

This policy applies to employees, workers and contractors.

This policy details the main standards of behaviour that you need to adhere to and also details the behaviours that the Organisation would normally regard as gross misconduct. The standards of behaviour and the details of gross misconduct listed in this policy should not be considered exhaustive.

Your duties and responsibilities

You are under a duty to comply with the standards of behaviour required by the Organisation and to behave in a reasonable manner at all times.

Attendance and Timekeeping

You must:

• comply with the rules relating to notification of absence set out in the Organisation's Absence Procedure

• arrive at work promptly, ready to start work at your contracted starting time

• remain at work until your contracted finishing time

• obtain management authorisation if for any reason you wish to arrive later or leave earlier than your agreed normal start and finish times

The Organisation reserves the right not to pay you in respect of working time lost because of poor timekeeping.

Persistent poor timekeeping may result in disciplinary action.

Conduct Standards

You must:

• maintain satisfactory standards of performance at work

• comply with all reasonable management instructions

• co-operate fully with your colleagues and with management

• ensure the maintenance of acceptable standards of politeness

• take all necessary steps to safeguard the Organisation's public image and preserve positive relationships with all persons and organisations connected to the Organisation

• ensure that you behave in a way that does not constitute unlawful discrimination

• comply with the Organisation's Operating Policies and Procedures

Personal Mobile Telephones

Unless otherwise instructed, personal mobile telephones must be switched off or switched to silent mode at all times during normal working hours. These should only be used during normal scheduled break times.

You should provide your relatives with the Organisation's landline number so that a message can be passed to you in the event of an emergency.

Flexibility

You may be required to work additional hours at short notice, in accordance with the needs of the business.

You may also be required to undertake duties outside your normal job remit and to work at locations other than your normal place of work.

Confidentiality

You must keep confidential, except as required by law, both during your employment and at any time after its termination, all information gained in the course of your employment about the Organisation and that of all persons and organisations connected to the Organisation.

Conduct while representing the Organisation

As a general rule, behaviour outside of normal working hours is a personal matter and does not directly concern the Organisation. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. The Organisation will become involved when incidents occur:

• at office parties or other work related social occasions or gatherings

• at social occasions or gatherings organised by a third party, where you have been invited in your capacity as a representative of the Organisation

• at work related conferences

• while working away on business on behalf of the Organisation

On these occasions you are expected to behave in an appropriate and responsible manner, keeping in mind that you are representing the Organisation. You are instructed specifically not to consume any alcohol at such events where you are driving.

If your conduct brings the Organisation into disrepute you will be subject to the Organisation's disciplinary procedure. Such behaviour may be viewed as a gross misconduct offence and could render you liable to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal without notice.

Care of residents

It is the intention of the Organisation that residents receive the highest standard of care at all times from you and the wellbeing of residents must be your overriding concern. You must therefore be aware of the needs of residents at all times and if you become aware of any problem affecting residents, this must be reported to management as soon as possible.

In the event that any residents or any member of their family make a complaint, this should be referred to management immediately. Under no circumstances should you try to deal with the complaint yourself.

Abuse

Due to the nature of our business, it is inevitable that you will come into close contact with residents. Therefore you need to be aware of the Organisation's policies and procedures in relation to abuse. These policies and procedures are not only designed to benefit and protect residents (by upholding their rights) but also to protect you.

Outside activities and other employment

You are not permitted to engage in any activity outside your employment with the Organisation that could reasonably be interpreted as competing with the Organisation.

You are required to seek permission from management before taking on any other employment while employed by the Organisation unless you are on a zero hours contract.

Health and Safety

It is your duty and responsibility to familiarise yourself with, and to comply with, the Organisation or any third party's health and safety policies and procedures. Breach of these rules may result in disciplinary action, up to and including the termination of your employment without notice for gross misconduct.

You must report all accidents, however minor, as soon as possible, making a comprehensive entry in the Organisation's Accident Book.

Dress and appearance

Your personal appearance makes an important contribution to the Organisation's reputation and image. For this reason, it is important that your dress and appearance is professional and reflects the environment in which you work.

You will be expected to comply with any management instructions concerning dress and appearance.

Property and equipment

You are not permitted to make use of Organisation or a third party's telephone, fax, postal or other services for personal purposes.

You must not remove property or equipment from Organisation or a third party's premises unless for use on authorised business or with the permission of management.

Where you damage property belonging to the Organisation either through misuse or carelessness, the Organisation reserves the right to make a deduction from your pay in respect of the damaged property.

On termination of your employment you must return all Organisation property, such as keys, laptops, mobile telephones, Organisation vehicles, documents or any other items belonging to the Organisation.

Clear desk policy

To improve the security and confidentiality, you are required to ensure that when your workstation is unoccupied you take all necessary steps to clear your work station of any sensitive and confidential information.

This ensures that all sensitive and confidential information, whether it be on paper, a storage device, or a hardware device, is properly locked away or disposed of when a workstation is not in use. This policy will reduce the risk of unauthorized access, data protection breaches, loss of, and damage to information during and outside of normal business hours or when workstations are left unattended.

Whenever a desk is unoccupied for an extended period of time the following will apply:

• All sensitive and confidential paperwork must be removed from the desk and locked in a drawer or filing cabinet. This includes mass storage devices such as CDs, DVDs, and USB drives;

• All waste paper which contains sensitive or confidential information must be placed in the designated confidential waste bins. Under no circumstances should this information be placed in regular waste paper bins;

• Computer workstations must be locked when the desk is unoccupied and completely shut down at the end of the work day;

• Laptops, tablets, and other hardware devices must be removed from the desk and locked in a drawer or filing cabinet;

• Keys for accessing drawers or filing cabinets should not be left unattended at a desk.

Printers and fax machines should be treated with the same care.

Personal searches

The Organisation may reasonably request to search your clothing, personal baggage, personal storage areas or vehicles. An authorised person must conduct any such search in the presence of an independent witness. Should you refuse such a request, the Organisation will require the appropriate authorities to conduct the search on behalf of the Organisation. Failure to co-operate with the Organisation in this respect may be treated as gross misconduct.

Personal property

You are solely responsible for the safety of your personal possessions on Organisation premises and should ensure that your personal possessions are kept in a safe place at all times. If you find an item of lost property on the premises, you are required to inform management immediately.

Environment

In order to provide a cost-effective service, you are requested to use Organisation equipment, materials and services efficiently. You should try to reduce wastage and the subsequent impact on the environment by ensuring that you close windows, avoid using unnecessary lighting or heating or leaving taps running, switch off equipment when it is not in use and handle all materials with care.

Meetings

The Organisation will normally arrange for summary minutes to be taken at any formal meeting. It is not the policy of the Organisation to record meetings by any other means (e.g. digital, audio recording and photographs). You (or any party accompanying you) must not record any meeting without the express permission of the Organisation in advance. Where a meeting is to be recorded then parties must agree to it in advance. If requested, a copy of the minutes/recording will be provided (in line with data protection principles).

Monetary Transactions

You may only handle cash or receive payments on behalf of the Organisation where you are specifically authorised to do so.

You are responsible for all monetary transactions that you handle. Should the Organisation or residents suffer any loss through your negligence then the loss shall be deducted from your pay in accordance with the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 1996.

Collection of pensions or other allowances on behalf of residents must always be recorded in care plans.

You are permitted to purchase goods on behalf of residents, however, you must follow the standard procedures, ensuring that receipts are properly kept, and completing details in the relevant records in place.

On no account must you loan money to, or borrow money from residents.

You are not permitted under any circumstances to make use of a residents' store loyalty card, catalogues etc. for your own gain and neither should you use your own store loyalty cards when purchasing items on behalf of residents.

Breach of this policy

A breach of the Organisation's standards of behaviour is likely to result in disciplinary action being taken.

Gross Misconduct

Set out below are details of behaviour that the Organisation views as gross misconduct, which is likely to result in dismissal without notice. This list is not exhaustive. Such behaviour includes:

• theft, dishonesty or fraud

• deliberate recording of incorrect working hours

• unauthorised absence

• smoking on Organisation or a third party's premises or in a vehicle belonging to the Organisation

• sleeping during working hours

• assault, acts of violence or aggression

• bullying

• unacceptable use of obscene or abusive language

• possession or use of or being under the influence of non-medicinal drugs or alcohol on Organisation premises or during working hours

• wilful damage to Organisation, employee or third party property

• serious insubordination

• serious or gross negligence

• bringing the Organisation into disrepute

• falsification of records or other Organisation documents, including those relating to obtaining employment

• unlawful discrimination, including acts of indecency or harassment

• refusal to carry out reasonable management instructions

• gambling, bribery or corruption

• serious breach of health and safety policies and procedures

• breach of confidentiality, including the unauthorised disclosure of Organisation information to the media or any other party

• unauthorised accessing or use of computer data

• unauthorised copying of computer software