People can be unfair, untrustworthy, or even dishonest without necessarily breaking the law. Ethics is the set of rules that govern our behavior and the moral norms by which we live. Our ethical standards guide our lives personally, professionally, intellectually and spiritually. What can organizations do to promote ethical behavior in the workplace? Examples of ethical behavior in the workplace include: adherence to company rules, effective communication, taking responsibility, accountability, professionalism, trust, and mutual respect for your colleagues at work. These examples of ethical behavior ensure maximum productivity at work. And could be crucial for career growth. Responsibility. Mistakes are inevitable, but how to deal with them is important. Taking responsibility for your mistakes and learning from them is an important part of creating an ethical workplace. It doesn`t matter if you work from home or commute to work every day, workplace ethics are necessary to build a successful career. Companies are known to use ethical practices and behaviors to increase productivity and maintain integrity – while setting a penalty for workers who violate workplace ethics.
Bullying can occur in many different social contexts, such as work, at home, at school or in churches. Harassers or victims can. There are professional standards that do everything an employee does in the workplace. The use of informal words in a formal workplace is very unprofessional. Sexual harassment is a crime that is not limited to the workplace. An employee accused of sexual harassment will not only face consequences in the workplace, but will also be brought to justice. 5. Be blameless. Above the accusation, there is the practice of not only staying above the “line”, but staying well above it. Don`t play jump rope with what is acceptable behavior. Ethical organizations manage both perception and reality. They make sure that even behaviors that might look like unethical behavior are discouraged and insist on this point with their management team.
They also lead by example. [Company Name] is dedicated to maintaining a healthy environment. A safety manual has been developed to inform you about workplace safety. If you do not have a copy of this manual, please contact Human Resources. Why is ethical behaviour important in the workplace? Several key questions can help identify situations that may be unethical, inappropriate or illegal. Ask yourself: Although philosophers have written many books on ethics, the topic boils down to doing what is right. Of course, in business, as in life, it is not always easy to decide what is right, especially when competing priorities are at work. Your company`s ethical standards as well as your personal code of ethics can guide you in your decisions. Employees may accept unsolicited gifts that are not money and that comply with reasonable ethical market practices, including: Organizations must have predefined rules and regulations regarding workplace ethics. These rules and regulations must be communicated to new employees at the same time as their employment contract.
Much of society`s collective sense of right and wrong is embodied in the laws that guide business activities. If you respect your professional activities in accordance with the law, you represent the minimum ethical requirements for the operation of your business. Many professional associations publish detailed ethical guidelines for their members. For example, doctors vow to obey the Hippocratic Oath and follow guidelines created by state and national medical groups. The American Medical Association provides a detailed nine-point code of ethics for which it holds its members accountable. Lawyers, financial advisors, accountants, and many other professions have similar guidelines for ethical behavior. Employees should refrain from using coarse language towards their colleagues inside and outside the workplace. This is very important when dealing with customers. 4. Beware of the “slippery slope”. Have you ever used the phrase “his behavior really exceeded the limits”? Every workplace has a “line” that distinguishes between appropriate and inappropriate behaviors. Organizations find themselves in hot water when they define or ignore unethical behavior because it is considered a “small” problem or “not a big problem.” When they do, they move their “line” further down the slippery slope.
Many companies sued for large sums of money because of workplace ethics that allowed far too much unethical behavior because their “line” of what was acceptable kept slipping. Companies must maintain their intolerance of dishonesty and unethical behavior. The good news is that companies can take steps to create a good narrative about their reputation by taking steps that help ensure that ethical conditions and perceptions of organizational support are present in the workplace. Many organizations implement reactive systems to report unethical behavior. However, the most important thing companies can do differently to encourage ethical behavior is to implement a proactive employee voice system and use employee voice tools to proactively give employees the opportunity to be heard. Good professional relationships not only promote teamwork between employees, but also help in the individual career development of employees. Developing professional relationships with colleagues or other professionals outside the workplace also directly or indirectly improves productivity. Even if the rules are written in strategic places in the workplace, it will help to remind the rules. People tend to unconsciously absorb the things they see every day.
It`s important to understand that ethical behavior in the workplace can stimulate positive employee behavior that leads to business growth, just as unethical behavior in the workplace can trigger harmful headlines that lead to organizational decline. [Company Name] is an equal employment and affirmative action employer committed to creating a workplace free from discrimination of any kind and from abusive, abusive or harassing behaviour. Any employee who feels harassed or discriminated against should report the incident to their supervisor or human resources. Tools like Formplus allow you to create online forms to receive complaints about workplace harassment or other unethical behaviour. Employee voice systems that effectively promote ethical behaviour and encourage the reporting of unethical behaviours meet five key criteria: Workplace ethics is a dynamic set of values that differ depending on the person and definition of a workplace. For some, it`s a physical office where they go every day, while others are their home office. Of course, in addition to the ethical standards that guide your profession or business, there is at least one other set of essential guidelines to consider. Your personal code of ethics – the notion of right and wrong that you have developed throughout your life – is the foundation of the principles that guide your behavior at work and throughout your life. Members can download a copy of our sample forms and templates for their personal use in your organization. Please note that all of these forms and policies should be reviewed by your legal counsel to ensure they comply with applicable law and are appropriate to your company`s culture, industry and practices. Neither members nor non-members may reproduce these samples in any other way (for example, for republication in a book or for use for commercial purposes) without the permission of SHRM. To request permission for specific items, click the Reuse Permissions button on the page where you can find the item.
Misuse of company time. Taking long breaks and surfing the internet on the clock may seem harmless, but they are always unethical. Ethical behavior makes organizations successful. A company that does not value integrity and does not “follow words with deeds” of ethics will find itself at the bottom of the slippery slope, wondering when and how it crossed the “line”. That`s why we need ethics in the workplace. Successful ethical companies also offer training to resolve ethical dilemmas. They provide positive feedback when employees act ethically and provide a feedback system to report unethical behavior.