Table of Contents
Values and ethics are important in the workplace to help maintain order, ensure that a company runs smoothly and remains profitable. Each company in particular makes known its values and ethics almost immediately after hiring an employee or does it many times during the interview process. And, in many companies, it doesn’t matter how well an employee performs; If you don’t follow the values and ethics of the workplace, you can be fired.
Dedication
How hard an employee works or how much effort he puts can take a long way. Obviously, companies want results, but most employers prefer a worker who makes an honest effort over another that could be considered “natural” for the job, but is otherwise harmful. However, when an employee signs an employment contract, he is agreeing to do his best to help the company prosper.
Integrity
An important aspect of workplace values and ethics is integrity or showing honest behavior at all times. For example, an employee working at a cash register is expected to balance the box and deposit the correct amount of money at the end of the night. Integrity in the business world can also mean being honest when submitting an expense report or not trying to steal a sales account from a co-worker.
Responsibility
Employees from all sectors are expected to take responsibility for their actions. That means appearing on time when there are scheduled meetings and not taking advantage of the planned times for breaks. It also means accepting responsibility when things go wrong, checking it out and working gladly to solve it. And sometimes it can mean working longer than expected to see a project reach its conclusion.
Collaboration
In almost all industries, values and ethics in the workplace consist of teamwork. This is because most companies believe that when morale is high and everyone works together, success will come. So it is important that employees work as a team, either helping co-workers on a project, teaching new tasks to new employees, or following the instructions of a supervisor.
Conduct
Employee behavior is an integral aspect of work values and ethics. Employees should not only treat others with respect, but exhibit appropriate behavior in all facets of work. This includes wearing appropriate attire, using language deemed appropriate in the office and conducting with professionalism. Each company applies its own specific rules on conduct and usually makes them extremely clear in the employee and training manuals.