ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR - What Are Ethical Standards in the Workplace?

What Are Ethical Standards in the Workplace?

by Nicole Long, Demand Media

Ethical behavior on the part of the company and the employees of a small business can translate into honest and valued relationships with both customers and business partners. Maintaining ethical standards in the workplace involves setting expectations, providing guidance along the way and consistently choosing to do the right thing.

Focus on Ethics

Ethical standards guide individuals and the company to act in an honest and trustworthy manner in all interactions. These standards should encourage employees to make the right decisions for the company, not the individual, and give them the courage to come forward should they notice dishonest and unethical behavior. Company programs focused on ethics help lay out company standards and expected practices as they relate to ethical behavior and decisions. This can include providing clear guidance on common ethical dilemmas, such as using the phone at work for personal long-distance calls or using company software programs for personal projects.

Corporate Culture

Establishing core values and working to develop a culture of respect, trust and honest communication represents a vital part of establishing and maintaining ethical business operations. When corporations place an emphasis on doing the right thing, and not simply benchmarking achievements by evaluating profits, employees follow suit and behave in an ethical manner. Corporations and small businesses can choose to reward employees for consistently meeting ethical standards set in place, instead of emphasizing financial gain.

Managerial Standards

Management often sets the tone for expected ethical behavior and actions in the workplace. The actions and behaviors of management, and other senior staff, help steer departments and employees toward proper and accepted business practices. Part of this responsibility includes enforcing rules, guidelines and policies fairly and equally across all levels of the organization. Managers may also be tasked with helping employees navigate ethical dilemmas and solving difficult situations to keep the corporation on the right path.

Other Considerations

Addressing ethical standards for a small business starts with the hiring process. Recruiting talented and ethical individuals is a must. Background checks represent just one tool available for recruiters when looking to hire ethical and trustworthy individuals. In addition to hiring the right employees, employers must take action to penalize those who display dishonest and unethical behavior. Continuing to employ those employees who can't behave in an ethical manner sends the wrong message to all employees.