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Chapter 6 - Managing staff integrity
Carrying out supervisory accountability
Apart from discharging their own duties satisfactorily, managers of public bodies should also carry out their supervisory duties. If the malpractices or omissions by his subordinates are serious, repeated or widespread, the supervisor will be asked to account for those malpractices or omissions, if he fails to notice and exercise the level of leadership, management and supervision required of his position.
Supervisors should
- Delineate and communicate clearly and properly the lines of responsibilities of subordinates;
- Provide adequate guidance, advice, counselling and training for subordinates;
- Monitor the conduct and performance of subordinates to ensure that they meet the required standards;
- Be alert to signs of malpractice in the work place, such as heavy gambling or frequent monetary transactions among staff members and staff indebtedness;
- Take prompt and decisive action to handle misconduct and poor performance;
- Report any suspected illegal activities and malpractices in breach of the internal policies to the organisation;
- Refrain from asking for or accepting any personal favours from subordinates or asking subordinates to perform personal errands; and
- Refrain from borrowing money from subordinates or using subordinates as guarantors for loans
Managing declared conflict of interest
Upon receipt of a report on conflict of interest situation from staff (or members), the supervisors (or the governing body) should follow the organisation’s code of conduct and, as soon as practical, decide on the appropriate course of action to be taken, such as to relieve the subordinate concerned of his involvement in the task, and give clear instruction to the staff concerned. The declaration, decision and action should be properly recorded. Supervisors (or the governing body) should ensure the staff’s (or the members’) compliance with the instruction so as to effectively remove or mitigate the conflict of interest.In deciding on the course of action to be taken, supervisors (or the governing body) should take into account the seriousness of the conflict, the public interest involved and public perception.
