Nearly 52.6% of accounting and finance employers have experienced inappropriate behaviour from their employees in the workplace, with 40% having to fire someone as a result.

This new research comes from CV-Library, a UK job board, where they surveyed over 300 UK employers.

About 25% of accounting and finance bosses have had to give a verbal warning to a member of staff, with 10% having to suspend someone.

A few of the top inappropriate behaviours cited by employers in the industry included: being physically aggressive and confrontational (76.3%), turning up to work drunk (76.3%) and using illegal substances (65.8%).

CV-Library CEO Lee Biggins said: “Inappropriate behaviour from your employees should not be tolerated in the workplace. You want to maintain a professional and mature atmosphere in your company, and this simply cannot be achieved if your staff are acting inappropriately.”

According to the data, 97.4% of accounting and finance employers believe these are sackable offences.

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Biggins added: “Unfortunately, our findings reveal a shockingly high number of workers in the industry have been inappropriate in the workplace, possibly due to poor employee education. Saying that, there are some actions, such as turning up intoxicated or under the influence of illegal substances, which are simply inexcusable.”

“Educate your employees on what is deemed as inappropriate at work to avoid any grey areas. Their induction is the perfect time for this. After all, in a time of low unemployment and job cuts in the accounting and finance industry, suggested by the mass exodus at HSBC, your company can’t afford to lose anymore professionals on top of the staffing cuts.”

Last month, a WhatsApp scandal at KPMG saw two senior financial consultants leave the firm barely three weeks after their boss, Tim Howarth, following an investigation into his conduct.