Workplace ethics play a key role in how a business operates daily. They are the values and principles that set the expectations of how employees of all levels act in a professional environment. Workplace ethics need to be communicated with staff as soon as they join the company or even during the interview stage. This gives individuals more time to familiarise themselves with the company’s standards and help them adapt appropriately if needed. The tricky part is that not all employees will follow these values, whether that is intentionally or unintentionally. 

Example of workplace ethics

Workplace ethics cover basic ethical behaviours that people should be familiar with and extend to company expectations. They can include elements that may seem simple but can turn complicated in a business environment. Some common ones are:

  • Integrity
  • Professionalism
  • Accountability
  • Compliance
  • Communication
  • Discipline
  • Dependability
  • Respect
  • Fairness
  • Trust

Integrity

When we talk about workplace ethics, integrity comes up in one way or another. Integrity covers a range of morals, including honesty and sound judgement. To operate an organisation effectively, employees need to be honest with one another and showcase their strong principles and values. In an environment where employees are expected to carry out tasks without being micromanaged, integrity is crucial as staff are expected to behave ethically even when no one is watching. This also extends to external stakeholders such as clients and partners, not only internally. 

Professionalism

A term that we see used quite often but what exactly does it cover? Professional work ethic looks at the attitude the employee shows at work. A positive individual that looks to stay focused on work, de-escalate issues and constantly seeks improvement encompasses the term ‘professional’. Individuals should avoid gossip, inappropriate remarks or harassment if they strive to be a better version of themselves. Professionalism is also shown in the way that people speak, treat and deal with others. Without a high level of professionalism, it can be hard for conflicts to resolve as people let stubbornness control their actions rather than their principles. 

Accountability

Workplace ethics also looks at how employees deal with their mistakes. Over the course of one’s career, there will be numerous mistakes made, even when they reach a senior level and have a great amount of responsibility. To create a positive work environment staff should take accountability for their actions, even if they are disappointed by them. Not all plans will succeed and not all business decisions will be fruitful. What matters is that the employee recognises where they went wrong and uses that as a lesson for the future rather than a way to blame colleagues. 

Compliance

Workplace ethics are often confused with legal compliance. Workplace ethics differ in the sense that they are one step beyond legal expectations. Companies should make it clear that employees have to comply with policies and procedures as well as local laws and regulations. However, it is important to remember that something may be legal but not necessarily ethical. Employees should feel encouraged to communicate any concerns they have to protect the company and its reputation as well as its stakeholders.

Communication

Effective communication is another term that may seem overused. As part of workplace ethics, communication refers to colleagues seeking to understand one another and not seeing things from only their perspective. Great communication promotes better collaboration and teamwork as staff can feel open with one another; they are all willing to work together towards a common goal. When a decision is made, for example, the reasoning needs to be explained to employees and give them a chance to share feedback. Without clear communication, staff can feel lost, mistreated and lose motivation to perform at their best. 

Places with strong workplace ethics look to empower people through communication and always give them opportunities to come forward with potential worries or problems they have. 

Discipline

Discipline applies to a variety of areas within an organisation. Discipline shows commitment and self-control when working towards goals. As an ethical standard, it requires employees to be realistic when setting goals and know how much they achieve and how. Discipline shows consistency and willingness to persevere when things get hard. Ethical employees do not only look to complete tasks so they can tick them off their list, they look to complete tasks at a high quality, as they are supposed to be done. 

Dependability

An ethical employee is one that the company can trust to make the right decision. As part of workplace ethics employees are usually expected to take the initiative and find areas where they can be helpful without being asked. A dependable employee tries to achieve the closest thing to excellence and is proud of the work they have done even if things do not always work out. It is critical that a business looks for people who care about the entity’s success as well as their own. In return, the organisation should not exploit someone’s willingness to take on more work for the improvement of the business. 

Respect

Respect is a very common workplace ethic. This is because in a workplace, there will be people from various backgrounds, from different stages in life and with diverse experiences and skill sets. The more diverse a workplace is, the more likely it is for people to clash as they are bringing together all of their previous knowledge and opinions. Without respect, an organisation will not be able to operate effectively. Staff should be expected to respect their colleagues regardless of their differences. 

The worst place to work is a place with like-minded individuals without creativity or variety in ideas. To create an ethical environment, people should find ways to cooperate without making others uncomfortable or belittling them. Staff should celebrate each other’s achievements and value the diversity that they bring to the organisation. 

Fairness

Especially for individuals in leadership positions, fairness plays an essential role in how employees feel and to what extent everyone is given the same opportunities. Employers have the responsibility to provide a fair environment for everyone, and they need to show that they are committed to treating all staff equally. This means giving them a fair opportunity for a promotion, training provision, salary increase and career development. 

Trust

Last but not least, trust is necessary in every organisation. Trust can make employees feel empowered and capable that they can carry out tasks without being constantly questioned. When the company hires individuals, they need to do so carefully as this is the first instance of them trusting a candidate to carry out the responsibilities of a role. Being confident that someone will complete their job responsibilities to a high standard allows people to work better together and frees up time that would have been used to micromanage. 

workplace ethics

Workplace ethics: Intention versus practice

Do you practice what you preach? Many businesses intend to create an ethical environment where everyone feels welcome and can work on developing themselves. However, the number of workplaces that actually put their workplace ethics into practice is way smaller. For various reasons, workplace ethics may be ignored or only used when it is convenient to do so. 

ECI’s Global Business Ethics Survey revealed that 29% of employees felt pressure to compromise workplace standards. Of those 29%, 84% witnessed misconduct while working. If a business is willing to ignore its values, then misconduct is likely to rise. Employees may lose their way and get used to bending the rules to make their superiors happy, even if that is hurting the company in the long term. 

How will the company suffer? Neglect of workplace ethics can lead to:

  • A toxic work environment 
  • Frequent conflicts and misunderstandings
  • An increase in complaints
  • Unreported misconduct 
  • Damaged business reputation
  • Division and confusion

A toxic work environment

In a workplace where workplace ethics are not adhered to, it is likely that employees will get away with treating co-workers unfairly. Power trips, lack of trust and passive aggressive comments can create an environment that employees want to avoid rather than work in. As people see that no one is holding them accountable for their actions, it will be easier for them to pass mistakes on to others, which can lead to greater unfairness.

Frequent conflicts and misunderstandings

A lack of respect and a lack of clarity in communication can result in a lot of unresolved conflicts as individuals will feel wronged and unable to speak up. If a colleague is not trusted to complete a task successfully or people’s professional opinion is not respected, this can lead to resentment and low staff morale. 

An increase in complaints

If there is no enforcement of workplace ethics, then employees are more likely to bring their previous workplace or personal behaviour into their new role. They could think it is okay to take credit for someone else’s work or speak to junior colleagues in an inappropriate manner. The more unethical behaviour is enabled with silence, the more complaints the business will have to deal with. It is not enough to promise that corrective action will be taken, the company needs to follow through with its promises to prevent a high staff turnover and low job satisfaction. 

Unreported misconduct 

When there are no workplace ethics at play, there is no guarantee that employees will comply with all laws and policies. As a result, misconduct such as harassment, fraud and corruption is more likely to rise. Staff will hesitate to report what they observed as they will be scared of retaliation and they might know that nothing will change once they report it. On the surface, it may appear like nothing is wrong. The longer unethical behaviour is left unchecked, the more vulnerable the business is to financial and legal risks. 

Damaged business reputation

A dysfunctional workforce does not stay contained for too long. External stakeholders will slowly see how the business is not operating according to a moral code. This might also be reflected in how employees treat customers. The staff could make promises that they know they will not be able to keep or make false claims that leave clients frustrated. Unethical behaviour can damage the reputation of the business and lead the public to see it as unreliable, greedy, noncompliant, and disorganised. 

Division and confusion

As we already mentioned, a diverse workplace needs respect to operate effectively. When individuals refuse to listen and try to understand their co-workers, then there will not be any level of teamwork. Differences of opinion will create division as staff are not willing or encouraged to compromise. Decisions may be made without consulting the right people, which will lead to confusion and uncertainty. 

How can you reinforce workplace ethics?

If the goal is to create a cohesive workplace, then workplace ethics can highlight the strongest values of the company. They hold the company together and assist employees in understanding the importance of listening, understanding, and thinking before they take action. Leadership plays a critical part in enforcing workplace ethics. As most things start from the top, an ethical manager can set an example of the standards employees are expected to abide by. 

Having workplace ethics in a written form can also help regularly remind staff of how they need to behave and treat their colleagues and stakeholders. 

Show employees that complaints are taken seriously and action will be quick to follow. Our clients are committed to providing their employees with a safe and accepting work environment. That is why they rely on us to help them investigate an issue. Polonious is trusted to make the process fair, transparent, and repeatable and keep all details confidential. We provide investigators with efficient workflows, automated reminders and the ability to generate instant progress updates so they can conduct an efficient investigation. 

A final note, ensure that you hire with your workplace ethics in mind. The business has no control over an individual’s personality and morals, but it has control over who it invites to its organisation. Especially for leadership positions, ensure that the candidate can be trusted to manage a team and take accountability for their actions.