Ombudswoman Maria Stylianou-Lottides said on Friday that mismanagement of employees needs to be combatted during a conference entitled ‘Principles of administration users and rule of law in the civil service’.
She said that to combat mismanagement, thorough checks need to be conducted on the administration, to ensure they are respecting the values of equality, transparency, and meritocracy, she told the conference.
Lottides added that in modern states, the concept of administration has evolved to be identified with that of civil service, which at its core is there to service of the citizen’s needs.
Commenting on the work done by her office on the matter of proper management, she said that in 2013 her office prepared a guide and code of ethics for civil servants.
“The aim of the guide is on the one hand, to become an easy-to-use work tool that will guide civil servants in their daily work, and on the other hand, to contribute to the establishment of a culture of respect and professionalism, to the upgrading of the services provided in the context of the modernisation of public administration, and in the restoration of the relationship of trust between the state and citizens,” she said.
In her speech, the ombudswoman stated that it was an obligation of every employer to ensure the safety and health of employees in all aspects of work, which corresponds to the right of every employee, as enshrined in Article 31 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, to benefit from working conditions that correspond to their health, safety, and dignity.
She explained that according to an earlier report of the European Parliament, workplace bullying has negative effects both on the individual and on the organisation itself.
Lottides emphasised that to deal with this issue, among other things, the relevant awareness and training of managers and employees should be increased. Organisations should make a clear statement, declaring that harassment and violence are not tolerated, while also determining the procedures to be followed when relevant incidents arise.
She explained that for the effective implementation of the law, it is necessary to establish appropriate mechanisms and procedures, so that employees can in practice exercise and enjoy their rights, within the deadlines and in compliance with the guarantees set by the law, and employers must examine them and make reasoned decisions on them with respect to the principles of good administration.