Some organisations are telling their people; get vaccinated or lose your jobs. Many are asking if that is ethical. I will leave you to draw your own conclusions. Today I will be talking about workplace ethics which is how employees in an organization govern themselves and their overall work attitude. It can also refer to the morality, or lack of morality, permeating a workplace.
How the world perceives a company usually depends on their workplace ethics. Ethical behaviour is from the top down, and from the inside out. This includes how organizations treat their suppliers and customers, how they interact with others, how they perform their tasks, and how they communicate internally and externally. The term encompasses nearly every issue that may arise in a business, including production, distribution, marketing, sale, and consumption of the goods and services being offered.
At its core, workplace ethics boils down to moral philosophy. It is framed by how an individual or company’s morality influences the decisions made and the behaviour exhibited. Many of us have this from home but it may not align with the workplace ethics of our work place. It is important to recognize the distinction between what is law and what is ethical. It is possible for a behaviour to technically be legal, while still being considered unethical.
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The organisation has to display the ethical behaviour needed and must curb any lapses before it gets out of hands. Once employees see others breaking the rules without repercussions, they may follow suit. Employees may think that the wrong thing is acceptable and before you know it, it becomes the norm.
On that basis some employees (usually the best ones) may choose to leave. Essentially, a culture where the ethics is unstable results in a higher staff turnover, lower productivity, and ultimately, a diminished good reputation and profitability.
An organization that does not consistently combat unethical behaviour will always suffer, even if the wrongdoings in question aren’t considered to be major by most people’s judgment. Unethical behaviour can undermine the moral fabric of an organization, leading to larger problems than the unethical issue in question.
Managerial style can work to improve an employee’s work ethic by establishing systems and habits for accomplishing tasks efficiently and interacting effectively in the workplace. By inspiring and rewarding ethical behaviour, an organization can ensure that ethical conduct permeates all levels of the organization and reaches the public’s perception of the company.
Good and basic ethics are good time management. Completing projects when due, showing up on time, following break-time protocol, and informing supervisors of challenges in a timely manner are all efforts that respect the value of time in the workplace. Unfortunately, this is difficult for many people because of the general culture around.
Another is accountability, employees and employers alike should be held accountable in their work efforts, meaning they shoulder the responsibility for ongoing projects and take the blame for errors when necessary. Again, this needs to be emphasised but not to the point where many do not want to own up to error because the punishment will be harsh.
Focus is another basic ethic. To efficiently carry out a task, an employee must remain focused and avoid the distractions of chatter, social media, technology, etc.
Initiative, when an employee does something productive or useful to the company without being asked. Strong employees do what needs to be done for the benefit of the organization. Showing initiative shows an employee values success. Employees however sometimes feel they will not be rewarded for showing initiative.
Productivity hinges upon an employee’s ability to overcome distractions, ignore external influences, and conquer obstacles that inhibit them from performing their tasks.
Employees who exhibit professionalism show up and take their work seriously, staying respectful of others and dressing appropriately. Another basic ethic. dedication means consistency and showing up ready to accomplish tasks daily, all while maintaining focus and productivity.
A desire to improve by embracing feedback and learning moments show that they are willing to work to grow in their careers. This is just to mention a few basic ethics that organisations need to incorporate at the very least.
Beyond the individual’s efforts to conduct themselves ethically in their work, there is a larger sphere of how workplace ethics exist in the corporate culture as a whole and how the organization conducts itself both internally and externally.
Companies should always have an employee code of conduct available, so all members of an organization can have a clear understanding on where the company stands on different ethical matters. If unethical behaviour seems harmless to some and goes unaddressed, it will speak a lot to both the individual’s character and the tolerance of misconduct by the organization.
Some of the most common examples of workplace ethical lapses are the preferential treatment of some employees. Spreading untrue rumours about colleagues, company projects and plans, or anything else related to work culture. Taking credit for other people’s work or giving misleading information about progress on a project is part of dishonesty which comes in many different forms. Thinking only of one’s own interests, even in seemingly insignificant situations such as hoarding office supplies.
Knowing the ethics and ensuring they are imbibed and practiced by all staff is the real challenge. Management believes people know these things but some have either been taught the wrong thing or have devised survival strategies that are not ethical or may not even know. Having a code of conduct is great but never enough. We will be talking more about the best practice for developing a culture of good ethics. Stay tuned and have a great weekend.
