No doubt, the thought of working in a policed environment makes employees cringe but establishing a policing culture may become a necessary measure in combating office politics.

A vast majority of managers and employees detest the idea of “policing” and “being policed.” It’s a word that makes everyone stand up a little straighter especially in a country like Nigeria where the police do not have an amiable brand image. However, the workplace culture needs a strong figure of authority to uphold the company rules and ethics because in a competitive work culture, the lines of good behaviour often get blurred as some employees often threw caution to the wind. Managers often monitor the online actions of their employees, so it would make sense to monitor the in-office actions as well.

A situation where the ills of employees and bosses go unchecked, it escalates and creates more opportunity for the bad behaviour to continue. It may encourage others to behave unethically as well. There may be office bullies that create a hostile environment in which to work in. This type of employee fosters fear and aversion and if the actions go unchecked, it could psychologically harm workers. Employees may also feel harassed— sexually or psychologically— and again, perpetrators may be causing mental harm to the victims.

Essentially unethical employees end up victimizing the ethical ones and that makes the workplace dynamics one of bullies and victims. Which one are you?

On this backdrop, employees, employers and even HR need to step in early to put an end to bad ethics on the job— police the bad employees and defend the good ones. Remember, it’s not about spying, stalking and bugging. It’s about keeping order and doesn’t every worker deserve that?

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