Staffing services company TeamLease Services has released its 4th survey in its 'World of Work' series of surveys that seeks to make sense of changing scenario at workplaces in India.

The study titled 'Nothing Ethical about Ethics' attempts to present views about the corporate workforce on 'Workplace Ethics' across eight cities in India, viz. New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune.

Workplace ethics, says Teamlease, is a constant and evolving challenge that has direct impact on businesses and reputation.  Both management and employees have been trying to incorporate ethics into their office system that can help in retaining and attracting employees and customers alike. The study aims to gauge how far this has been successful, and what the current scenario is when it comes to taking liberties with office rules, trying to reveal 'hidden truths'.

A few of the interesting recalls from respondents on unethical behaviour noticed by co-workers incude:

• Kolkata: Bribing for business purpose and sexual harassment
• Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad: False commitment to customers and harassment by seniors
• Hyderabad: People who have side business are not 100% dedicated to work
• Chennai: Revealing client information to competitors and Boss having an affair with the junior and treating others unfairly

Surabhi Mathur, General Manager, Permanent Staffing, TeamLease Services, says ''The acceptable code of conduct in Corporate India is morphing from the dogmatic thought police whose card carrying members were the HR department to a more fluid situation that accepts diversity, relativity and materiality.  Some people view this as a devaluation but Companies are getting better at defining non-negotiables but not interfering in trivia.''

The study further reveals that Kolkata reacts strongly towards unethical office behaviour, whereas the most lenient city is Ahmedabad.

Though Mumbaikars would confront their co-workers directly for unethical behaviour, Ahmedabad has more faith in the indirect route, says the report.

Hyderabad and Kolkata insists that leaders or managers should 'walk the talk' on office ethics with Hyderabad stressing on the need to frequent ethics training in offices and increase in open lines of communication.

Taking credit for subordinate's ideas is not unethical, says Ahmedabad and Bangalore, while rest of the cities beg to differ with an average score of 42 per cent.

According to the study, Mumbai and Chennai are more aware of company's policy towards unethical behaviour and interestingly, one in every four respondents in Chennai have experienced mobile or wallet thefts at the workplace.

Other highlights of the survey include:

• Almost 45 per cent of people don't bat an eyelid while logging incorrect in / out times.
• Around 46.8 per cent feel using the office line for personal long distance calls is ok.
• Around 55.7 per cent workers had no qualms about fudging expense details.
• Almost 60 per cent  people lied unabashed while applying for leave.
• 62 per cent  of people who consider bribing normal and ethical.
• False promises to customers as an attitude echoed in 60 per cent of responses as accepted ethical behavior.
• 62 per cent respondents would not think twice about using ''any means'' to get competitor information.
• 61 per cent respondents felt it was fine to take printouts and photocopies at office for personal work.
• 63 per cent respondents are fine with doing personal work during office hours.

On a city-wise basis:

• Kolkata comes through as a highly integrity and ethic conscious city with an ethics index of 76%.
• Also, against popular notion, Delhi-ites seem to be quite ethical and straight-forward - or so they say at 53%!
• Interestingly, among the cities interviews, Kolkata  is most sensitive to unethical behavior with an ethics index of 76, vis-à-vis Ahmedabad which came through the most lenient at an ethics index of 21.
• A third of the respondents in Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad are unaware of their company's Ethical Policy.