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"Brave" complaints mechanism paves way for open conversations

When Programmed/PersolKelly launched a new complaints process for its workforce it worried about "opening floodgates", but instead it has facilitated better dialogue with clients, its people leader says.

People and culture general manager Jema Cameron tells Shortlist the company initiated its 'Open Door' program following the Respect@Work report on workplace sexual harassment and discrimination, released in 2020.

First, it launched a zero-tolerance policy for bullying and harassment, which yielded "quite positive" engagement survey scores.

"Employees were telling us that senior management had a general genuine interest in mental wellbeing and physical wellbeing, that we were demonstrating a day-to-day commitment towards gender equality, and that our managers really cared about wellbeing," she says.

"The other piece of feedback that we'd received was that employees felt that they could voice contrary opinions without having any negative consequences as a result...