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33% of North West workers
would choose money over ethics at work
A ⅓ of workers in the North West
would turn a blind eye to a company's ethics as long as the salary was good,
according to a new study.
A survey of 2,000 employed adults in the UK found that 33% of North West workers
would rather work for a company that paid them more, over one whose morals they
agreed with.
Despite this, 9 out of 10 people in the North West say they do uphold ethical
standards in their workplace.
The study also found that 34% of North West workers have taken a sick day in the
last 2 years when they weren't really ill, the same average as that across the
UK as a whole.
Shockingly 1 in 8 North West respondents said that EVERY sick day they've taken
in the last 24 months has been false.
Adam Harper, spokesman for AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians), who
commissioned the report, said:- "Ethics is a grey area for many people,
with Britons demonstrating a range of responses to what they consider 'ethical
behaviour' in their professional lives.
It's important for long-term success for businesses and their employees to be
ethical; even small things like employees taking sick days when they're not ill
can build up and waste time and money.
Some of the results also show that many employees disagree with practises some
businesses carry out. Managers need to be aware that getting a reputation for
unethical behaviour could lead to demotivated staff, and have a negative impact
on their business."
One respondent to the study said that their company made fantastic profits that
could have been passed on as savings to the customer – but weren't. And one, who
worked in food services, reported on their management removing sell-by-dates
from food to extend its shelf life.
18% of people in the North West had worked somewhere with ethical practices they
didn't agree with, although only 12% left a job because of it.
49% of North West workers in the study would continue to work for a company that
avoided paying tax, and 14% said they currently work somewhere with managers or
senior staff members that they believe are dishonest in their company's tax
returns.
AAT has recently published updated guidance on the standards expected of tax
advisers and agents, in relation to the facilitation and minimisation of tax
avoidance, to ensure their members know of the ethical problems involved.
In other results, a fifth of people in the North West told us that they have
applied for a new job while sitting at their desk in their current one. And 56%
of North West workers think nothing of using company time to make personal phone
calls or browse non work related websites while at work.
Adam Harper continued:- "60% of North West respondents said they don't
think they were paid enough for the work they do, and so many could have used
this as an excuse for carrying out some unethical behaviour. However, this
doesn't justify some of the less ethical behaviours highlighted by the survey
respondents. Regardless of how employees see their company's practises, they
should be responsible for their own ethical behaviour."
Get the Dickens scared out of you at St
George's Hall this Christmas
ST George's Hall Liverpool has announced a new tour of its
catacombs that is sure to scare the Dickens out of you this Christmas.
Produced by LoveHistory, the team behind previous subterranean successes at the
Grade-I listed attraction, this seasonal treat focuses on the darker, spookier
parts of Charles Dickens' classic ghost story 'A Christmas Carol.'
Guests on:- 'The Ghosts of Christmas Past' promenade tour will be led
through the hall's eerie underground cells and passageways by a team of
professional actors who will bring the novelist's famous characters and stories
to life.
Alan Smith, St George's Hall manager, said:- "This event looks like being
a real festive favourite and what better place to celebrate perhaps Dickens'
most famous work than in a building where he regularly came to read to the
public.
The latest work from the talented and creative team at LoveHistory promises to
eclipse previous tours in terms of storytelling, scares and, of course,
Christmas cheer."
Judy McLean from LoveHistory said:- "We're delighted to be returning to St
George's Hall to entertain and spook visitors this Christmas. The Ghosts of
Christmas Past' will be our most spectacular event yet as we follow Ebenezer
Scrooge's haunted journey to meet the spectres of his life and heed the messages
from the other side. This immersive theatrical experience promises a unique
seasonal experience with some unforgettable surprises in store."
The Ghosts of Christmas Past will take place daily, from 12 December 2016 to 18
December 2016, with
4 performances each evening at 6pm, 6.45pm, 7.30pm and 8.15pm.
Tickets cost:- £15 (plus booking fee) and are available to purchase online from:-
TicketQuarter.Co.UK.
For more information about the event and the venue, visit:-
LiverpoolCityHalls.Co.UK/St-Georges-Hall. |
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Family debt takes toll on
children in North West
MORE than 387,000 children in the North
West are living in 224,000 families trapped in problem debt, new research by The
Children's Society reveals. It means that 25% of families with children in the
region have been failing to keep up with household bills and loan repayments in
the past year (2016).
The evidence, based on a survey commissioned by the charity, also shows that
families with children are more than twice as likely to have been trapped in
problem debt as childless households.
The survey found that, across England and Wales, 20% of families with children
have struggled with problem debt in the last year. By comparison, the proportion
of households without children who have fallen into arrears with one or more
creditors is just under 8%.
The families who have been behind on their debts; a total of 1.4m nationally;
are home to 2.4m children, and The Children's Society is deeply concerned about
the damaging impact of debt on their lives. In some cases children are
going without basics such as food, clothing or heating, as well as suffering
worry, anxiety and bullying.
The survey of 2,000 adults, carried out by Opinium, found that families in
problem debt over the last year, are juggling an average of four different types
of debt. Children in low income families with multiple debts are at far higher
risk of experiencing mental health problems than those in families who owe money
to a single type of creditor.
The most common source of problem debt is arrears on energy bills, followed by
loans from:- friends and family, bank loans, and Council Tax.
While the size of family debt varies, overall 29% of parents who have been in
problem debt in the last year currently have arrears of more than £5,000.
While household budgets up and down the country are under strain, families with
dependent children face extra pressures as they are more likely to face
unexpected bills and are less able to cope with sudden financial shocks, caused
by things like redundancy, reductions in working hours or illness.
The Children's Society has found that problem debt is putting stress on family
relationships, damaging children and trapping families in a downward spiral of
borrowing.
As families begin to struggle financially, many feel that taking on credit is
the only way to make ends meet. This often marks the beginning of the debt trap
as credit repayments take up a larger proportion of income and families find
themselves cutting back on essentials.
The Children's Society, as part of its Debt Trap campaign, is calling for
changes to how creditors treat families with children who fall behind on bills
and repayments. It is urging the Government to introduce a 12 month
'breathing space' scheme to give struggling families a period of protection from
additional charges, mounting interest and enforcement action while they seek
advice, put their finances in order, and get back on their feet.
Today the charity is publishing a draft of a parliamentary Bill to make this
'breathing space' a reality for hundreds of thousands of families. The Bill is being
sponsored by Kelly Tolhurst MP and will be debated by MPs in the New Year.
Rob Jackson, North West Area Director at The Children's Society, said:-
"Again and again we have raised the urgent problem of families who are trapped
by debt, and whose children often pay the price with their mental and physical
health. With unfair and unsustainable repayment plans, hidden charges, soaring
interest, visits from intimidating bailiffs and the fear of eviction, the odds
are stacked against parents who are desperate to find a way out of their debt.
Meanwhile mums and dads are being forced to make impossible decisions between
feeding and clothing their children, and paying the bills. It is now
absolutely clear that this problem is not going away unless the Government takes
action to give families the breathing space they need to get their finances back
on track. Acting now could have a hugely beneficial impact, not just on family
finances in the short term but on the futures of some of the country's most
vulnerable children."
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Estimated number of families and children living in problem debt
in the North
West of England. |
| Local authority area |
Number of families in problem debt |
Number of children in problem debt |
Proportion of families with
children in arrears |
| Blackburn with Darwen |
4,400 |
7,600 |
N/A |
| Blackpool |
6,500 |
11,300 |
N/A |
| Cheshire East |
8,300 |
14,300 |
N/A |
| Cheshire West and Chester |
12,600 |
21,900 |
N/A |
| Cumbria |
13,700 |
23,700 |
N/A |
| Halton |
4,600 |
8,000 |
N/A |
| Lancashire |
37,000 |
64,000 |
N/A |
| Warrington |
6,900 |
12,000 |
N/A |
| Bolton |
7,500 |
13,100 |
N/A |
| Bury |
5,700 |
9,900 |
N/A |
| Manchester |
14,700 |
25,400 |
N/A |
| Oldham |
5,600 |
9,800 |
N/A |
| Rochdale |
5,800 |
10,100 |
N/A |
| Salford |
7,000 |
12,100 |
N/A |
| Stockport |
8,300 |
14,300 |
N/A |
| Tameside |
7,900 |
13,600 |
N/A |
| Trafford |
5,700 |
9,900 |
N/A |
| Wigan |
10,600 |
18,400 |
N/A |
| Knowsley |
4,600 |
8,000 |
N/A |
| Liverpool |
15,500 |
26,800 |
N/A |
| Sefton |
6,700 |
11,600 |
N/A |
| St. Helens |
10,700 |
18,500 |
N/A |
| Wirral |
13,600 |
23,500 |
N/A |
| North West TOTAL |
224,000 |
387,700 |
25% |
| England and Wales |
1,397,500 |
2,436,500 |
20% |
Please note:- All figures have been
rounded so the local authority area figures, when added together, may not match
the regional total. |
