Integrity At Work

Integrity at Work: Ethical Values for Business Success

Good business ethics based on a set of moral and ethical values. These work ethics values must be absolute - that is, you must take them seriously enough to override any human rationalization, weakness, ego, or personal faults. When all else fails, you will always look back to these core, work ethic values to guide you. Unfortunately, life is not that easy and there's always disagreement about what values should reign supreme. Luckily, in the world of business ethics, your employer helps you with a host of integrated compliance salutations and more. Besides business ethics training, it's about values. In a nutshell, their values are your values (in the context of morals and ethics at work. It is about your integrity at work. Your freedom to choose your own ethical values is somewhat limited. Considering the rash of corporate scandals these days, the thought of following the corporation's values might not be too comforting. Problem: Whose or what values can you trust? Look behind successful, honest businesses and you will see a set morals and ethics at work values that have stood the test of time. Think about how these values are communicated in your organization and what you can do to support workplace behavior ethics. Here are some important values: Honesty The old adage, "honesty is the best policy" is true today more than ever. It's not just lip service. Employee business ethics manuals from most scandalized corporations are likely to contain slogans touting its commitment to honesty and integrity at work. Claiming to be honest and have good business ethics in an employee manual is passé. You're either honest or not. Even if you haven't got caught yet, most people know who is and who isn't. Integrity at Work Integrity connotes strength and stability. It means taking the high road by practicing the highest busine ss ethics stan dards. Demonstrating integrity in the workplace shows completeness and soundness in your character and in your organization. It shows that you have solid workplace behavior ethics that matter in the real world that promote positive work ethics. Responsibility Blaming others, claiming victimhood, or passing the buck mays solve short-term crises, but refusal to take responsibility erodes respect and cohesion in an organization. Ethical people take responsibility for their actions. Workplace stress issues are no excuse. Likewise, actions show the ability to be responsible both in the little and big things. Good work ethics show a deeper commitment to personal responsibility. Quality Quality should be more than making the best product, but should extend to every aspect of your work. A person who recognizes quality and strives for it daily has a profound sense of self-respect, pride in accomplishment, and attentiveness that affects everything. From your memos to your presentations, everything you touch should communicate professionalism and quality. Don't let workplace stress issues rob you of striving for quality in everything you do. Trust There's no free ride to good work ethics. Trust is hard to earn and even harder to get back after you've lost it. Everyone who comes in contact with you ors your company must have trust and confidence in how you do business ethics. Conflicts of interest in the workplace must not be on your radar screen. Respect Respect is more than a feeling, but a demonstration of honor, value, and reverence for something or someone. We respect the laws, the people we work with, the company and its assets, and ourselves. Teamwork Two or more employees together make a team. It is a business necessity to work openly and supportively in teams whether formal or informal. You need each other for effective problem solving in the work place. Leadership How many hardworking, honest employees have been tainted and led astray by corporate leadership failings? Managers and executives should uphold the ethical standards for the entire organization. A leader is out front providing an example that others will follow. Problem solving in the work place must be your first response.The real test of these values comes from the resulting action. It takes a concerted, company-wide effort, beyond inserting these words in an employee manual, to make it happen. First, management must lead by example. Good work ethics should be most noticeable at the top. Every employee must be accountable to the same rules. Second, a corporate values or ethics initiative must be "sold" and "marketed" aggressively throughout a company. Every forum and medium should be used to spread the good message. Of course, it will only be credible if the company is practicing what it preaches. Third, ethics training must be provided to get everyone on the same page. It's easy to ignore a motivational speech or pass by a poster, but spending time learning about the issues will have a lasting impact. This must include integrated compliance solutions and promote integrity in the work place. Fourth, both you and the company must be in it for the long haul. The ethics training fervor should extend to the next generation of employees. The longer it lasts, the more ingrained the principles will become. Despite failings of some, there is plenty of room at the table for positive work ethics and profitable business to reside. Together they can lay the cornerstone for a secure and prosperous society. These values you can put in the employee manual and mean it.