Sally March (sjmarch10@gmail.com) is Director, Drummond March & Co, in London, UK.
We have recognized for a long time that pressure at work—pressure to hit targets, save jobs, and meet budgets and timelines—can often lead to bending of the rules. Change is also very stressful, and people who feel insecure during a merger or when their company goes into administration may also find it easier to justify a little misbehavior. In my career, I had never observed a situation that touched everyone, in all industries, in all regions. And then there was COVID-19. Overnight, jobs disappeared. Those who still had jobs were dealing with new ways of working, new health and safety protocols, remote working, homeschooling children, and simply not being able to move around as freely. Suddenly, everyone had to become an expert at personal risk assessment.