Employees in New Zealand are among the least likely of the 16 surveyed countries to find each of the eight ethically questionable practices outlined to be acceptable. Although New Zealand compares favourably with other countries surveyed in relation to the percentage of employees who say that they have felt pressured to compromise on their organisation’s standards of behaviour, and those aware of misconduct at work, these figures have increased compared to 2021.  

Compared to three years ago, employees in New Zealand say that they are as likely to speak up about misconduct: around six in ten employees have spoken up about misconduct that they have been aware of. However, employees are much less likely to be satisfied with the outcome after speaking up, which is at a record low compared to previous years (2018 and 2021). This is also the lowest of all countries surveyed. Around two in five employees say that they experienced retaliation after speaking up. 

Organisations in New Zealand seem to have missed some opportunities to encourage dialogue and discussions around ethics internally. Although 4 in 5 employees say that people in their organisation know what is expected of them in terms of ethical behaviour, they are less likely than the global average to say that their line manager explains the importance of honesty and ethics in the work they do and that issues of right and wrong are discussed in staff meetings. Furthermore, they are not as likely to say that in their organisation’s decisions about people are made fairly nor that their organisation disciplines employees who violate its ethical standards. This indicates that ethical leadership needs greater priority and further attention. 

Compared to 2021, employees in New Zealand are more likely to say that they are aware of their organisations providing each of the four building blocks of an ethics programme. The biggest increase has been recorded in relation to receiving advice or having an information helpline about behaving ethically. Although awareness of advice and hotlines is still the least common of the four building blocks asked about, it is at the highest level ever recorded in this survey for New Zealand. 

 

Organisational culture

  • Employees in New Zealand are among the least likely of the 16 surveyed countries to find each of the eight ethically questionable practices outlined to be acceptable. They are less likely than the global average to find each of the eight ethically questionable practices acceptable (18% vs 20% globally).
  • Around nine in ten employees in New Zealand say that honesty is practised always or frequently in their organisation (85%), remaining consistent with findings in 2021(88%) and similar to the level who say this globally (84%). Employees in India (91%), Brazil (89%), Germany (89%) and France (87%) have a higher rating.
  • Around one in eight employees in New Zealand say that they feel pressured to compromise on ethical standards of behaviour (12%) compared to 2021 when around one in ten employees said so (10%). This figure is below the percentage of employees who say so globally (15% global average). So, employees in New Zealand are among the least likely to feel pressured to compromise on ethical standards, alongside those in France (10%), the UK and Germany (both at 9%), and the Netherlands (7%). Around one in three employees in New Zealand who have felt pressured to compromise on ethical standards say that following their boss’s orders (30%) is the main source of pressure. Notably, around one in four employees in New Zealand point to time pressure / unrealistic deadlines (26%), and feeling peer pressure to be a team player (26%) as other main sources.
  • Around one in five employees in New Zealand reported being aware of conduct that they thought violated either the law or their organisation’s ethical standards in the last year (23%). This figure in 2024 (23%) is statistically higher than in 2021 (16%), but similar to the percentage of employees who say this globally (25% global average in 2024).

Speaking up

  • Around three in five employees in New Zealand who were aware of misconduct spoke up about it with management, another appropriate person, or through any other mechanism (62%). This figure is similar to 2021 (61%) and the percentage of employees who say so globally in 2024 (64% global average).
  • Of all those who did not report a concern, around one in three of them cited a fear of jeopardising their job (34%) as a key deterrent to speaking up. Notably, around one in four cited not wanting to be seen as a troublemaker by management (28%), a lack of belief that corrective action would be taken (28%), and that they felt it was none of their business (28%) as other key deterrents.
  • Of those reporting a concern, around two in five (42%) say that they experienced a form of personal disadvantage or retaliation as a result. This figure is similar to 2021 (41%), but below the 2024 global average - where nearly half said so (46%).
  • Around half of employees in New Zealand that spoke up say they were satisfied with the outcome after raising concerns (49%). This figure is the lowest level ever recorded for New Zealand in this survey and is much lower than in 2021 (58%), and the percentage of employees who say so globally in 2024 (71% global average). Of the 16 surveyed countries, employees in New Zealand are the least likely to be satisfied with speak up outcomes – a key area of concern that requires greater focus and attention.

The ethics programme

  • Compared to 2021 and the other surveyed countries, employees in New Zealand are more likely to say that they are aware of their organisations providing each of the four building blocks of an ethics programme. For example, 77% of them are aware of written standards of ethical business conduct in their organisation, compared to a global average of 71%. 
  • The biggest increase in awareness has been recorded in relation to employees in New Zealand saying that they are aware of their organisations offering advice or an information helpline where they can get advice about behaving ethically at work (57% vs 49% in 2021). This is at the highest level recorded for New Zealand in this survey.

Embedding ethics through a supportive environment

  • In New Zealand, 73% (vs 72% global average) of employees say that their line manager sets a good example of ethical business behaviour, 63% (vs 68% globally) say that their line manager explains the importance of honesty and ethics in the work they do, 73% (vs 72% globally) say that their line manager supports them in following their organisation’s standards of ethical behaviour, and 71% (vs 71% globally) say that senior management takes ethics seriously in their organisation. Yet 31% (vs 38% globally) also say that their line manager rewards employees who get good results, even if they use practices that are ethically questionable.
  • 77% (vs 76% globally) of employees in New Zealand say that their organisation acts responsibly in all its business dealings and 70% (vs 72% globally) that it lives up to its stated policy of social responsibility.
  • Employees in New Zealand are also likely to have mixed views about how their organisation engages with employees on ethics. 82% (vs 78% globally) say that people in their organisation know what is expected of them in terms of ethical behaviour. However, they are not as likely to say that in their organisation decisions about people are made fairly (66% vs 67% globally) nor that issues of right and wrong are discussed in staff meetings (59% vs 62% globally). 
  • 61% of employees in New Zealand say that their organisation disciplines employees who violate its ethical standards. A higher percentage of employees say this globally (65%).