Zero Tolerance Policy
Robson Laidler Accountants Limited directors and employees treat our clients with courtesy and respect and ask for the same in return.
Our staff have the right to carry out their duties without violence, abuse or harassment. Any behaviour – verbal or physical – which causes our staff to feel uncomfortable, embarrassed or threatened, is totally unacceptable.
Our Zero Tolerance policy includes aggression or threats made in person, over the telephone or in written communication.
Robson Laidler consider threatening behaviour to be:
- Attempted, implied, threats of or actual aggressive threatening physical actions made toward members of staff
- The use of offensive, aggressive, threatening or abusive language – this includes shouting, swearing and raising of the voice – which threatens or intimidates staff
- The use of racist, sexual, or discriminatory language
- The making of inflammatory statements or rudeness
All staff have the authority to manage unreasonable behaviour. This may include politely informing the client that the phone call or meeting will be terminated.
We have a zero-tolerance position on violence and threats against our staff and this behaviour will always be reported to the police if appropriate.
In all other cases, we will inform the client that we find their conduct unreasonable and request that they modify their behaviour. We will advise what action we will take if the warning is ignored.
If the client fails to modify their behaviour, we will take steps to restrict our communications with them. The level of restriction applied will be proportionate and consider the nature, extent, and impact of the behaviour on our ability to do our work and the wellbeing of our staff.
This may include:
- blocking calls/emails from the client
- terminating our engagement
- limiting which of our staff is able to speak or meet with that client
The decision to limit our contact with the client will be made at director level and communicated to the client in writing. If the client objects to this decision, they may request – within 7 days of the decision date – a review of the decision by another director.
This policy applies throughout the company. It applies to any Robson Laidler employee or director away from the business premises but only in so far as it relates to the business of the practice.