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The document provides a “blueprint for office behaviours” meant to guide those associated with the brand going forward.
Stockdale & Leggo unveiled the new proviso for working with the firm this April, describing it as a way of “future-proofing the organisation” with a firm set of values across the group.
According to company co-director Charlotte Pascoe, the document outlines best practices within the industry, and is a way of ensuring all employees are held to that standard — both by themselves and others.
“Actions speak louder than words. Honesty, integrity and respect are at the core of every action, decision and relationship we have. I want all of us in Stockdale & Leggo to embrace this in how we work and interact with others and to ensure we hold ourselves and others accountable to these values,” Ms Pascoe said.
The policy also serves as a way of defining what the company looks for in those with ambitions to advance their careers.
“Everyone in our company must play a leadership role. Especially those who are more senior and experienced. I want those people to lead by example and guide those still learning the ropes. In this way, we will develop a culture of equality, fairness and respect at all company levels.”
The policy has been supported by the Rise Initiative, a charity dedicated to research promoting mental health and wellness for real estate professionals and their families.
Sarah Bell, director of the Rise Initiative, said that policies such as these help ensure that employees feel they’re working in a healthy environment, which is becoming more important than ever as Australians are increasingly prioritising their mental health when it comes to work decisions.
“Ninety percent of all employees believe that psychological safety is important in a workplace and real estate organisations cannot be naïve to the fact that the talent they hope to attract will be using that criteria to judge where they will devote their hours and effort,” Ms Bell said.
Of Stockdale & Leggo’s new policy, she commented: “The conversation being led here is a positive one. It is about enabling people to perform and realise their potential by reducing, as much as possible, risks to their psychological, physical and sexual safety. As the war for talent increases and human performance is finally being understood through a collective lens, the benefit of organisational citizenship as a factor of individual performance becomes important.”
She also noted that documents such as this enable the entire workforce to look out for each other, with clear steps set out for raising potentially problematic behaviour.
“If someone has disclosed inappropriate behaviour to you, the most important thing is to genuinely listen and not to judge or predetermine the outcome. Ideally, you have a policy that is understood and socialised within the organisation, and that clearly outlines the options and processes so that there are no surprises.”
Ms Pascoe added that she believed the company’s new initiative would ultimately be an empowering tool to staff.
“I want everyone to be a role model for our company, proud of their actions and recognised by others for their integrity. This also requires being big enough to admit if they need to do better or speaking up about a tough issue.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Juliet Helmke
Based in Sydney, Juliet Helmke has a broad range of reporting and editorial experience across the areas of business, technology, entertainment and the arts. She was formerly Senior Editor at The New York Observer.
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