Ethics

BPPG Part I, Personal and Professional Ethics

A strong sense of ethics in the workplace can improve a company in a variety of ways, both internally and externally. If employees in a company make an agreement to treat each other more ethically, such as by refraining from certain kinds of office politics, the workplace will not only be a more amicable place, but also will, in most cases, be more productive. In turn, more ethical employees can often lead to a better public reputation for a company, a reputation that can lead to increased customer loyalty and often larger revenues. Creating ethical sensibilities in employees can be tricky, but it is made easier if a manager follows a plan.

Firstly, I will outline the rules of ethical conduct. For an employee to know he's behaving unethically, he has to first be apprised of what constitutes ethical conduct. Employers should develop both a code of ethics, one that can be applied to many workplace situations, and a list of examples of ethical conduct with particular application to the workplace. Secondly, I will install a reward system. Ideally, ethical conduct should be its own reward: Employees should want to act ethically because it's the right thing to do and instills in them a sense of self-worth. But it doesn't always work like this, and employees might need material motivation, if just to remind them to do the right thing.

Thirdly, I will Institute training. Many office managers mandate training seminars in which employees attempt to develop ethical behavior by listening to speakers and participating in activities designed to make them more aware of ethical aspects of their job. Fourthly, I will bring in an outside ethical advisory group. Sometimes it's difficult for someone embedded in a workplace to view the situation with the objectivity necessary to determine what conduct is ethical and what is not. For this reason, I will consider bringing in outside help that deals with consultancies offering...