On today, World Mental Health Day, Nokia joins organizations around the world, as a strong supporter of raising awareness of mental health issues to mobilize efforts in support of better mental health for all.  The link between bullying and mental health is a universal truth, with those who experience bullying much more likely to develop mental health issues.  October is also National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month in the USA, with the goal of stamping out unacceptable bullying behavior across the globe and so today we also highlight this important topic and our drive for building a more positive workplace culture as part of our overall mission to improve mental health.
 
The leadership at Nokia are acutely aware that times have changed; behaviors that were tolerated in the recent past are no longer acceptable. The dial has shifted due to societal and legal changes, accelerated in particular by social media and the pandemic.

Bullying and other micro-abusive behaviors are costly from so many perspectives - personally, financially, legally, reputationally - and we are acutely aware that if we truly want to attract and retain the very best talent then our culture must be psychologically safe, inclusive and supportive to all. While much of the media discussion about the so-called ‘Great Resignation’ has focused on employee dissatisfaction with compensation, many recent studies indicate that a toxic corporate culture is by far the strongest predictor of attrition and is significantly more important than reward in determining turnover.

Nokia is proud to have a dedicated business integrity and investigations team, who take concerns raised by our people very seriously and ensure that meaningful action is taken to address any issue identified. Building on this foundation and in addition to the mandatory trainings for all staff on ethical conduct, we are preparing to launch a specific “No Tolerance for Bullying” campaign. As part of this initiative, we are reviewing ways to hold accountable those who might exhibit these poor behaviors and also revisiting how those who exemplify and role model positive and collaborative behaviors can be further rewarded and recognized.

We seek to emphasize that while it is universally acknowledged that bullying in workplaces has been present for many years and in many forms, all of our people can make a difference in driving change, both individually and together. Importantly, we are reaching out to our people and asking for participation and collaboration in what we see as a shared journey. Our underlying focus is on providing a set of agreed principles that are driven by the need for easily understood examples of what type of conduct can constitute workplace bullying as well as what level of support is available, including to those who may act without thinking with no intention of harming others.

We are also developing practical training courses for people managers on conflict management and for all employees on how to be an active bystander. These trainings emphasize that we all have a role to play in calling out any poor behavior and supporting those who may feel that they don't have a voice.

At Nokia, our leadership is unanimously committed to implementing change for the betterment and improved health and wellbeing of all our people. We hope that our new campaign will be a meaningful step on this vital journey.