Acceptable Behaviour Policy

Office Standards

People may act out of character in times of trouble or distress. There may have been upsetting or distressing circumstances leading up to a constituent approaching my office.
 

However, I will not tolerate unacceptable behaviour or actions that result in unacceptable or excessive demands on my staff in that it prevents them from carrying out their duties effectively. It is these behaviours and actions that I aim to manage under this Policy.
 

Aggressive or abusive behaviour

I understand that many constituents are often upset and angry about the issues they have raised in their complaint. If that anger escalates into aggression towards my staff, I consider that unacceptable. Any violence or abuse towards staff will not be tolerated.
 

Violence is not restricted to acts of aggression that may result in physical harm. It also includes behaviour or language (whether verbal or written) that may cause staff to feel offended, afraid, threatened or abused.
 

I will judge each situation individually and appreciate individuals who come to my office may be upset. While I accept that those who contact me may feel angry, it is not acceptable to shout or swear at anyone in my office.
 

Unacceptable language is that which:

• is offensive, derogatory, or patronising,

• is discriminatory in any way, including racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic comments, or makes severe allegations that individuals have committed criminal, corrupt, or perverse conduct without any evidence.

 

I may decide that comments aimed not at my staff but at third parties are unacceptable because of the effect that listening to or reading them may have on my staff. Examples include rudeness, offensive comments, derogatory remarks, making inflammatory statements, or raising unsubstantiated allegations made towards these third parties.
 

All threats against my staff will be taken very seriously, and if staff feel scared or threatened at any point during a conversation with a constituent, the interaction may be ended at any time.

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Unreasonable demands

A demand becomes unacceptable when it starts to (or when complying with the demand would) impact substantially on the work my staff do on my behalf.
 

Examples of this behaviour include:

• repeatedly demanding a response within an unreasonable timescale,

• not possible, insisting on seeing or speaking to a particular member of staff when that is

• repeatedly changing the substance of a complaint or raising unrelated concerns.

 

An example of such impact would be that the demand takes up an excessive amount of staff time, disadvantaging other constituents and preventing their own complaints from being dealt with quickly.
 

Unreasonable levels of contact

Sometimes, the volume and duration of an individual's contact with my office cause problems. This can occur over a short period, for example, a number of calls in one day or hour.
 

It may occur over the lifespan of a complaint when a constituent repeatedly makes long telephone calls or inundates us with copies of information that has already been sent or that is irrelevant to the complaint.
 

I consider the level of contact unacceptable when the amount of time spent talking to a constituent on the telephone or responding to, reviewing, and filing emails or written correspondence impacts my office’s ability to deal with that complaint or with other constituents’ complaints.
 

Harassment 

My staff have the right to carry out their duties free from harassment or threats of harassment. I ask everyone to respect that my staff are delivering a service on my behalf, and therefore, this may not reflect their own views or preferences.
 

Examples of behaviours I consider to be harassment against my office include:

• recording telephone discussions and publishing the information online, such as through YouTube, Vimeo or Twitter;

• contacting staff using their personal details or social media presence, such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn;

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​Refusal to co-operate

When looking at a complaint, my office will need to ask the individual who has contacted us to work with us.

 

This can include agreeing with us:

• the complaint we will look at,

• to provide us with further information, evidence, or comments on request, or 

• help us by summarising their concerns.

 

Sometimes, an individual repeatedly refuses to cooperate, and this makes it difficult for us to proceed. My office will always seek to assist someone if they have a specific, genuine difficulty complying with a request.
 

However, it is unacceptable to bring a complaint to my office and then not respond to clear and appropriate requests by staff.
 

Reasonable adjustments

I understand that some constituents may find it difficult for them to express themselves or communicate clearly, especially when they are anxious or upset. In order to do this, we ask that they explain what adjustments they’re looking for and how this will ensure they can access the service my office offers.
 

My office will always consider making reasonable adjustments for a constituent asked to do so. Examples of adjustments we can consider are:

• we could consider using different methods of communication;

• providing written communication in large print, coloured text, or in translation;

• giving clear warnings if conversations become unproductive and allowing

 

Constituents have the opportunity to modify their behaviour before ending a call. However, I do not expect my staff to accept being subjected to aggressive, offensive, threatening or abusive actions, language, or behaviour.
 

I may still use the policy if there are actions or behaviours which are having a negative effect on our staff or our work, even where a reasonable adjustment has been made. 
 

Actions I may take

When my office experiences unacceptable behaviour or demands, I may consider taking more formal action. The actions I will consider can include the
following:

• Warning the constituent about their behaviour and requesting that the constituent modify their behaviour in future contact with us.

• Appointing a specific point of contact for the constituent

• Communicating only in writing or via a representative

• Deciding not to investigate a complaint because it has been pursued unacceptably.

• Stop all communication with a constituent

• Restricting or limiting contact

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Where it is decided that formal action must be taken to manage someone’s behaviour, I, or my office, will inform them of the decision in writing.  A note will be placed on our records to this effect.