Article: Don’t assume that all employees have a universal sense of what’s right and wrong. Compile an exhaustive list of workplace standards, from acceptable language to ethical business practices. Post written standards in common areas and publish them in the employee handbook. Keep standards as specific as possible. Instead of “Be respectful,” specify that “Employees should not comment on physical appearance or make unwanted sexual advances of any kind.” Legality is important, but it doesn’t define workplace ethics. Educate employees about industry-specific regulations, but don’t limit your ethical standards to legal codes. For example, ensure that all employees know the safety standards for the products you manufacture and repair. However, set your standards beyond safety codes. If a product needs to be repaired, terminate or discipline employees if they overcharge for services by repairing parts that weren’t broken. Written ethical standards are useless if the organization’s leadership doesn’t follow them. Executives, board members, and department heads must act as role models for the rest of the organization. Furthermore, standards must be enforced consistently; a senior manager should face the same consequences as a mailroom clerk. “Do as I say, not as I do,” and “They’re breaking the rules, so I can, too,” mentalities can lead to a toxic company culture. If the head of sales fudges numbers and misleads customers to exceed quotas, your entire sales team will follow their example. The resulting company-wide ethics breakdown is a lot more difficult to handle than individual cases of misconduct. When you interview prospective employees, include specific questions that gauge their values. Hire a candidate who demonstrates strong ethical reasoning over one with dubious ethics, even if the latter has a strong professional record. For example, ask industry-specific interview questions such as, “Is it more important to meet a deadline or to ensure a product exceeds safety standards?” or “What would you do if you knew a coworker took bribes?”
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Put your company’s standards of conduct in writing. Include regulatory codes, but don’t let them define the company’s ethics. Model ethical behavior from the top down. Hire applicants with values that reflect your company’s ethical standards.