In the present world, every
organization requires a code of conduct or business ethics to have an identity
of its own. A business code of conduct clearly defines organizational value
system and the behavioral guidelines for the people who are associated with the
organization.
Implementation of business code
of ethics – establishing a set of core values and behavior for staff – boosts
organization’s corporate governance efforts. It helps staff stay aware of the
right course of action; hazards of following unethical behavior pattern; and
the hierarchy for the flow of information.
Business ethics defines core
values to maintain a harmony in the organization. Since business ethics
represents the company’s stand towards corporate social responsibility, the
reputation of the organization also depends on it.
Here are some ways that can help
a CEO establish business ethics in his organization:
Prepare the Policy Document
The management should ensure that
there is a detailed structure of the ethics program clearly mentioning the code
of conduct for employees. The business ethics should include additional
policies that address diversity, sexual harassment, workplace aggression, equal
opportunity at all.
Design Implementation Strategies
The success of a program depends
on implementation strategies. It is the responsibility of Human Resources (HR) department
to ensure that code of conduct is mentioned in the appointment letters so that
new joiners know the importance of business ethics.
It is a good practice to display
the business ethics on notice boards, entrances or other preferred sites. HR
should also conduct workshops, quizzes and training session to make sure that
employees are aware of business ethics. Business ethical issues should be dealt
strictly and serious action should be taken against the defaulters to set the
example.
Training & Awareness
Communication is the most
effective technique to implement the Code of Conduct successfully. There are
number of ways to ensure that staff and external stakeholders are aware of
business ethics and are following it.
A few are listed below:
- Design and develop class room training material including PPT presentations, handbooks, teaching manuals and illustrations for educating the employees on the detailed policies.
- Take the help of questionnaires, ethical tests, and case studies to check if your staff cares about the business ethics.
- Publish relevant cases of ethical dilemmas on the intranet
- Make sure the business ethics doc is available on intranet and every staff member has an access to it.
- Let your staff know how much you are serious about the business ethics by circulating the information if someone is terminated for misbehavior.
If you are looking for detailed
guidance about drafting and implementation of business ethics for your
enterprise, executive coaching can help you. CEO club offers executive business coaching on how to run your business operations smoothly. Apart from guiding
you on business ethics, a CEO group provides you practical solutions for
different business issues.
