Ways Managers Can Encourage Ethical Behavior It is important for managers to focus on accomplishing company goals while developing good relationships in the workplace but it is equally important to focus on ethical conduct among employees. Unethical behavior in the workplace has been around since the beginning of time but that doesn’t mean it has to be acceptable in your company. Every company should have a
code of ethics in place that represents the company’s values, responsibilities, and conduct expectations. It should act as a moral compass that guides employees in handling ethical dilemmas. Ethical conduct will ensure that your business maintains a reputation of professional principles and values. Here are a few ways managers can promote ethical conduct among their staff. Training You can’t expect your employees to follow your code of ethics if
they don’t know what it is. As part of the onboarding process employees should be educated on your code of ethics and why it’s important. They should also have a clear understanding of the ramifications if they fail to behave ethically. Managers should also hold regular workshops on ethics and demonstrate how employees can solve problems ethically. Use examples and role play to give employees opportunities to work through various dilemmas. The more you train
employees and place an emphasis on the importance of ethical behavior the more your staff will understand what is expected in the workplace. Rewards Oftentimes companies expect ethical behavior but they fail to acknowledge it. If managers really want to promote ethical behavior they need to reward it when they see it. If a manager catches an employee doing something right, they should stop and thank them. Managers could also implement a system where
employees can anonymously submit examples of their colleagues behaving ethically. Ethical behavior should be included in performance reviews and managers can encourage it by showing gratitude when they see it. Lead by Example If managers want their staff to behave ethically then they must understand that it starts with them. Employees generally follow the examples set forth for them by management. If managers hold themselves to a high standard of
ethical behavior then they have credibility when they expect the same thing from their employees. If everyone is on the same page it becomes easier for the team as a whole to adopt the same types of ethical behaviors. Treat Employees Well Managers really need to reflect on their current operating methods. If management is emphasizing the importance of ethics at work but doesn’t treat its own employees fairly, it becomes hypocritical. When managers
are respectful to their staff they are able to develop a trusting relationship that encourages ethical behavior. Therefore, managers need to consider the company’s decisions to hire, train, promote, and pay employees. They also need to make sure that what they are asking of their employees is reasonable. When managers show that they are invested in the success and well-being of their employees, it creates a company culture that is built on ethical principles. 38% of employees consider “ethical standards” to be the first or second-most important workplace attribute. Here are 4 ways that companies can encourage ethics in the workplace, secure and retain the best talent, and mitigate the risk of noncompliance. People spend much of their lives at work. An ethical workplace is key because it allows employees to feel a sense of purpose and integrity on the job. A recent survey found that 38% of employees consider “ethical standards” to be the first or second-most important workplace attribute. Companies benefit from ethical behavior in various ways. The stock price of the 100 most ethical firms outperforms their peers by 300%, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. A reputation for ethics also helps to attract and retain the best talent while minimizing the cost of turnover. When staff feel integral about their work, the company culture will thrive and, in turn, boost morale, motivation, and productivity. Despite the value of ethical behavior, it can be difficult to encourage ethics in the workplace. Here are 4 ways to foster an ethical workplace that reaps the rewards of good behavior:
1. Lead By ExampleLeaders must model the behavioral norms they expect employees to follow. To demonstrate their company’s ethics, leaders can:
Leaders who act ethically set a positive tone at their company and also reap additional benefits. For example, when Intel decided to stop sourcing material from conflict zones, it wasn’t without cost. But as “the right thing to do,” the decision earned positive responses from consumers, activists, and allowed the microchip producer to secure a more sustainable supply chain. “Ensuring the ability to source from multiple regions of the world is a good thing,” said Gary Niekerk, Director of Corporate Citizenship at Intel. “It was done because it is the right thing to do, but as you back out, you see additional values,” he concluded. A reputation for ethics helps companies to attract and retain quality employees. These individuals then foster and grow a work culture that’s built around shared values. Job seekers often choose the company whose ethics most align with theirs, especially in fields with little difference in job description. “The first thing students looked for when choosing among accounting firms is which one shared their values,” said Jane Cote, Academic Director and Associate Professor at the Carson College of Business. Principles are exceeding pay as the deciding factor for many graduates. “The question for the students was, ‘How can I find a firm that aligns with the kind of person I want to be?’” Cote concluded.
Ethical leadership creates a trickle-down effect that helps to attract and retain the best employees, develop a reputation for sound ethics, and implement more sustainable practices. 2. Provide Resources That Actively Reinforce EthicsWorkshops and training help staff to recognize many ethical dilemmas, but these resources often fail to grasp the reality of many ethical breaches. According to a study published in the Harvard Business Review, most ethical breaches aren’t from bribery, corruption, or anti-competition. The study found the most common and recurrent quandaries to be interpersonal, extra-legal, and full of grey areas, such as:
Resources that consistently encourage ethics are most effective, unlike trainings and one-off events. In the following example, the software company Adobe uses its blog to exemplify the ideal company culture. The blog is a vivid and regularly-updated model of what’s expected from Adobe employees. A wide range of blog topics, from ethics to inclusivity, illustrate the values that are best for the company, fellow workers, and the wider world. Documenting the ethical behaviors of other employees is a powerful form of social proof. The social influence of peers reinforces the idea that individual ethics are active and essential to the company culture. In moments of uncertainty, the blog is a constant reminder of what others would do and should be done. Other resources that actively encourage ethics are:
Ethics are a living part of the best companies — whose workplaces thrive as a result of the values and integrity within. 3. Ask Employees to Write a Personal CodeEthical decisions are made one person at a time, one decision at a time. Laws and compliance regulations are often geared toward larger transgressions, however, and can overlook smaller ethics violations that can nonetheless damage the company. Many ethical dilemmas are interpersonal, carry the potential for repercussion, and are therefore hard to navigate. It’s often easier for employees to do nothing than to make a tough decision. Planning ahead helps to encourage follow through when employees are faced with an ethical dilemma. “When it comes to ethics, we think it’s a test of our moral identity, which makes us more emotional, less effective, and vulnerable to self-deluding,” said Mary Gentile, author of Giving Voice to Values and Professor at Babson College. Ask employees to keep a personal code of ethics, a list of unethical things they will never do. Also prompt them to write about how they would, ideally, respond to unethical situations that might arise in the workplace. For example, ask employees to keep a document that details how they would react to:
If staff keep a written code of ethics at hand, they will be more likely to act with integrity. Rehearsing the exact language needed to confront an ethical transgressor can strengthen employees’ resolve prior to a difficult exchange. “The key is to practice ahead of time, before a situation arrives, so you’re ready when it does,” concluded Gentile. Peers are the greatest source of influence on employee ethics. Only 25% of employees trust their peers to model and practice the right ethical behaviors, according to Gartner. Personal integrity leads to a robust company culture that drives ethical behavior. For example, the staff at Google staff recently signed a petition to divorce the company from a contract with the Pentagon. Employees felt that “Google should not be in the business of war,” and rallied 3,100 signatures to protest a project with technology that could enable drone warfare, as seen below. Employees with a clear code of ethics are more likely to express their opinions. Companies benefit when staff are open, honest, and offer critical feedback. 4. Reward Ethical BehaviorWhat gets rewarded gets repeated. People spend more time at work than ever, so it’s critical that employees feel a sense of honesty and integrity in the workplace. Recognize when people do the right thing and also make clear that a win-at-all-cost mentality will not be tolerated. The ethical lapses of companies like Nike, Facebook, and Wells Fargo can be used to illustrate the importance of moral best practices. Companies can incentivize ethics in various ways:
Offering incentives helps to reinforce the value of ethics. Intrinsic motivations are more powerful than extrinsic motivations, so provide benefits that foster a sense of pride and agency within the company. For example, offering a front-row parking space or travel perks would confer a visible status boost without increasing expense too much. Before you can reward ethical behavior, the employee code of conduct must be well-known and available. To maximize the visibility of your code of conduct:
Companies Can Encourage Ethics in the WorkplaceCompanies can encourage workplace ethics by preparing and supporting staff to act right. Good intentions and proclamations aren’t enough, so leaders must both model and reward ethical behavior in employees. A company with a strong code of conduct will attract and secure employees with ethical behavior, which benefits the company culture and the bottom line. What are the 4 ethical approaches?From the earliest moments of recorded human consciousness, the ethical discipline has exhibited four fundamental "approaches" These four approaches are often called "ethical decision-making frameworks:" Utilitarian Ethics (outcome based), Deontological Ethics (duty based), Virtue Ethics (virtue based) and Communitarian ...
What are the 4 key elements of ethics?The Fundamental Principles of Ethics. Beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice constitute the 4 principles of ethics.
What are the 4 factors influencing ethical behavior?Cultural/ societal values Media influences/ coverage Legal constraints (Government) Enforcement (Legal/ Professional/ Religious) … …
What are the four ways of organizing for business ethics management?Four Steps to a More Ethical Organization. Set the Bar. First, use your organization's “positive deviants” to establish a clear, specific standard of ethical values, attitudes and behaviors. ... . Motivate Ethics. ... . Sustain Ethics. ... . Scale Ethics.. |
