Lots of companies are focusing serious attention on the issues of ethics and values -- and lots of people think it’s a waste of time.
The skeptics argue that you can’t teach ethics to adults. By the time they’re in the workplace, they’re either ethical or not.
It’s a plausible argument, but it misses the point.
The purpose of a corporate ethics program is not to make people ethical but to increase the likelihood that they’ll act ethically. This is definitely achievable. In today’s environment, failing to do what can be done to protect a company from employee misconduct is irresponsible.
The objective of a corporate ethics program is to establish a business culture in which it’s easier to do the right thing than the wrong thing and where concerned coworkers and vigilant supervisors repress illegal or improper conduct that can potentially endanger or embarrass the company.
An organization can further improve its ethical track record by assuring it has clear and credible statements of values and standards of conduct. When supplemented with quality training, those values and standards can clarify expectations and reduce misconduct resulting from ignorance or misinterpretations of laws or company policies.
A firm that wants to strengthen its ethical culture hires for character and trains for skills. It takes background checks seriously, screening out employees who lack the moral compass or strength to resist temptations and weeding out those who lack moral commitment or judgment during probation. And during performance reviews and promotions, it assesses ethical attributes like trustworthiness, responsibility, and respectfulness. Only people who are comfortable living up to high ethical standards are retained or promoted.
5 comments:
To the skeptics: While I agree that character is unlikely to change due to corporate ethics programs, I think the point is that such programs can help to create a corporate culture where those individuals who lack the required character traits are not implicitly supported by those looking the other way, or explicitly nurtured by being rewarded for behaviors that, say, generate revenue despite their immorality. Many companies have sought to cultivate such cultures, and the success stories are powerful and numerous.
Or, are ethics programs in place to ward off lawsuits?
I just think it's a sad state of affairs when ethics programs are needed - whether that is because we need to teach others not to look the other way, or because we are concerned about litigation.
It just says a lot, to me, about the core values of many people these days.
Ethics are soooooo overrated. Cheers!!
I guess it can also depend on what the boss holds as his or her ethical barometer. You know, where the values of that person lies. I think perception is reality. People hire you looking a certain way and talking a certain way. A person needs to maintain or improve that person they are perceived to be in the interview.
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