What are ethics in the workplace?

Ethics in the workplace refers to the way in which employees govern themselves and how a business operates. Both these two parts of ethics in the workplace are equally important as they will have an impact on how well the organization operates and how it is perceived in public.

When looking at how the employees behave, we are looking at their day-to-day behaviour and how it reflects their respect for the company and each other. Employees who do not respect each other, for example, might not be very friendly and will not be able to work together on a task. In this type of environment, morale might be very low and can lead to disrespectful behaviour towards the company.

An example of this would be constant absenteeism which affects productivity levels. If someone is constantly absent from work without a reasonable explanation, they might be indicating that they do not respect the organization enough to work hard and show up. This type of behaviour causes productivity to go down, as tasks cannot be finished properly when someone on staff is constantly taking time off.

The other part of ethics in the workplace has to do with how the company operates and how they are perceived by the public. This is reflected in:

• how they communicate internally and externally.
• how they treat their suppliers or customers
• how they interact with other companies
• how they perform tasks

For example, if a company is known for treating its customers poorly, then it would have bad workplace ethics.

By looking at these two aspects of ethics in a workplace, we see how an individual’s or company’s morality influence the decision that is made and behaviours that are exhibited. So, the next question would be, how does this affect the organization as a whole?

Why ethics in the workplace is important

Ethics in the workplace is important as it can directly affect how well the organization is doing. Having bad workplace ethics can cause a higher turnover rate as employees will have a bad attitude towards work and the company. It can be hard to be motivated to put your best foot forward when others are not or when you are working for a company that behaves badly. For these reasons, a business that is struggling with ethics in the workplace will see employees opting to leave more often, affecting the organization’s turnover rate.

Related: How to Motivate Your Employees

Having people in a company with bad workplace ethics can also lower productivity rates. People are more motivated when everyone seems to be working towards the same main goal, meaning those who behave in a way that discourages others can cause motivation to lower. When this happens, productivity rates go down as workers are no longer willing to work as hard as they can. This can also happen if the company is seen to have bad workplace ethics, staying motivated is also difficult if you are questioning the behaviour of the business.

With both employees having bad ethics in the workplace and the company behaving badly, the business will find that its reputation suffers which can affect its profitability. Not only will customers veer away from businesses with a bad reputation, but if turnover rates are high then more money needs to be spent on recruitment and training. This is a cyclical relationship, where having poor workplace ethics can cause a high turnover and high turnover can cause a bad reputation and lower profits. All in all, it is easy to see why having bad ethics in the workplace is something companies should try to avoid.

7 Good workplace ethics examples

When trying to establish good workplace ethics, it is good to have some examples of ethical behaviour that you want to foster. The following are workplace ethics examples that should be encouraged among your employees.

1. Punctuality

This does not only refer to people being on time for work but also completing projects on time, respecting break-time protocols and telling supervisors of challenges within a project in a timely manner. By being punctual employees are showing that they respect the time of their coworkers and that they value the protocols of the business.

2. Accountability

Employees and employers should be held accountable for their work, even if a mistake happens. Taking responsibility for ongoing projects means that you have to account for any errors that you’ve made and will make the corrections needed. This shows that you respect the company’s integrity and the work your coworkers are doing.

3. Focus

All employees, no matter their position, should be able to stay focused on their tasks during work. Though it is okay if distractions happen, they should be avoided as much as possible. This means that you avoid things such as text messaging with friends, spending time on social media or getting into long conversations about non-work related topics. By having good focus, people are showing that they care about the work they do and want to do their best while on the job.

4. Initiative

Taking initiative means that someone does something productive or useful to a company without being asked. An example of this would be to start organizing files that are unorganized before your supervisor asks you to do so. Showing initiative is an example of good ethics in a workplace as it indicates that the person values the success of the entire organization. Though something like organizing files may seem small when files are better organized it means it takes less time to find them and work can be done at a faster pace. By taking the incitive to do a task without being asked can often lead to things like higher productivity and shows the company that you care.

5. Professionalism

Taking your work seriously, no matter the task you are given is a great way of showing good ethics at work. Being professional at all times can include things such as staying respectful to others, keeping on task and dressing appropriately. By acting in this way, a person is showing that they care about the organization’s reputation and are willing to work hard to do so.

6. Dedication

Being dedicated to work means consistency in effort and showing up ready to accomplish daily tasks. When people show dedication to their work, they are indicating their level of respect for the work they do and the work the company does. Having employees who are dedicated is an example of workplace ethics that can assist in how well the organization operates. Maintaining focus for even the small tasks during the day is important and when employees display this type of behaviour they are showing ethics in the workplace.

7. Desire to Improve

Having the desire to improve can be considered good workplace ethics as it shows that the employee is working towards the betterment of the company. Employees who embrace feedback and learn new skills are able to grow with the company which means they care about the goals of the organization. Having people who care about the company’s goals is important and this behaviour is an example of good ethics in the workplace.

Related: 5 Steps to Creating an Effective Training and Development Program

The above examples can be used by your organization as a guide toward having good ethics in the workplace.

Encouraging good ethics in the workplace can help a company have a better reputation and can increase the productivity of your employees. Employees who show good workplace ethics work harder, meaning that productivity rates go up and the company benefits. This type of respectful relationship between the company and its employees will mean the company will have a good reputation which has a positive effect on profitability. Therefore, by spending time encouraging ethics in the workplace, you’ve improved the organization as a whole.