How Does "Work Ethics" Contribute to Your Success?

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"Work Ethics"

What is work ethic?

Work ethics refers to a set of moral principles and values that an individual adheres to while carrying out their work or professional duties. It encompasses attitudes, behaviours, and beliefs that shape an individual's work habits and helps them maintain high professionalism and integrity. Ethics are the foundation of a harmonious company culture and an important way for a company to build a strong relationship with its customers. Employees can find and challenging and uncomfortable to live and work long-term in businesses that lack of strong work ethics.

Here are some examples of work ethics,

  • Responsibility: Taking responsibility for your actions and being accountable for the outcome of your work.

  • Dependability: Being reliable and consistent in your work, meeting deadlines, and fulfilling commitments.
  • Integrity: Adhering to ethical principles, being honest and transparent, and doing the right thing even when it's difficult.
  • Respect: Treating others with respect, regardless of their position or background, and valuing diversity and inclusivity.
  • Professionalism: Maintaining a professional demeanor, dressing appropriately, and behaving in a manner that reflects positively on yourself and your organization.
  • Diligence: Being diligent in your work, putting in the effort required to achieve the desired outcomes, and continuously seeking to improve your skills and knowledge. 
  • Teamwork: Collaborating effectively with others, communicating clearly and respectfully, and working towards shared goals.
  • Adaptability: Being flexible and adaptable in response to changing circumstances and being open to new ideas and ways of working.

In many industries, workplace ethics are shaped by the country's existing laws and Industry regulations.
Here are some laws that generally affect many industries in SriLankan, 

  • Employment Act No. 25 of 1950
  • Wages Board Ordinance No.27 of 1941
  • Factories Ordinance No.45 of 1942
  • Shop and Office Employees Act No.19 of 1954
  • Employees' Provident Fund No.15 of 1958

Employers are required to comply with safety laws as well.

Relationship between work ethics and Human Resource Management (HRM)


Image source; What is Work Ethics? | peopleHum

Work ethics and HRM are closely related, as HRM is responsible for promoting and enforcing ethical behavior in the workplace. HR managers should introduce policies and procedures into the organization mainly under the following sections,

  • Anti-discrimination policies
  • Anti-harassment policies
  • Anty-bribery policy
  • Policies for interaction with clients
  • Safety policies


Why do work ethics matter?

Work ethics are matters because they define the values, principles, and attitudes that guide an individual's behaviour in the workplace. These values can impact an individual's performance, productivity, and overall success in their career. 

Here are some reasons why work ethics matter.

  • Productivity: A good work ethic helps individuals stay focused, motivated, and dedicated to their work. This leads to better productivity and higher-quality work output.
  • Professionalism: Work ethics plays a significant role in how an individual presents themselves and interacts with others in a professional setting. It demonstrates respect for colleagues, clients, and the organization.
  • Reputation: An individual's work ethic can impact their reputation within the industry and company. Constantly demonstrating a strong work ethic can lead to career advancement and increased.
  • Personal growth: Work ethic helps individuals develop skills such as time management, organization, and self-aspects of life. 
  • Ethical and legal compliance: Following a strong work ethic also means adhering to ethical and legal standards. This helps maintain a positive image for the individual and the organization they represent. 

Unethical behaviours in the workplace:

Unethical behaviours in the workplace can take many forms and can vary depending on the industry and workplace culture. Here is some examples of unethical behaviours in the workplace. 

  • Discrimination: Treating individuals unfairly based on their race, gender, age, religion, or other personal characteristics. 

  • Harassment: Engaging in behaviours such as sexual harassment, verbal abuse, or bullying.

  • Theft: Stealing company property or engaging in fraud, embezzlement, or other forms of financial misconduct.

  • Confidentiality breaches: Sharing confidential or proprietary information for personal gain.

  • Conflict of interest: Engaging in activities that conflict with the interests of the organization or accepting gifts or favours that could compromise objectivity. 

  • Misuse of company resources; Using company resources such as time, equipment, or supplies for personal use.

  • Negligence: Failing to fulfil job responsibilities or disregarding safety protocols. 

  • Bribery: Offering or accepting bribes in exchange for business or personal gain.
  • Plagiarism: Claiming credit for work that was not created by the individual or using others' work without proper attribution.

How to overcome unethical activities in the workplace.

According to the National Business Ethics Survey 2011, "the impact of ethics/compliance programs and strong ethics cultures on employee conduct." 

By implementing the following strategies, an organization can help prevent and address unethical behaviour in the workplace.  

  • Establish clear policies: Develop and communicate a Code of Ethics that outlines what is expected of employees and the consequences for violating these policies. Make sure all employees are trained on these policies and understand the expectations.

  • Encourage reporting: Establish a system for employees to report unethical behaviour without fear of retaliation. This could include an anonymous hotline, reporting to a designated manager, or using an online reporting system.

  • Investigation and address complaints: Take all complaints seriously and investigate them thoroughly. If wrongdoing is found, take appropriate action, which may include disciplinary action, termination, or legal action.

  • Lead by example: Leadership should set an example for ethical behaviour by adhering to the company's code of ethics and modelling ethical behaviour in their interactions with employees.

  • Provide regular training: Conduct regular training sessions on ethical behaviour, including what constitutes ethical behaviour and how to report violations.

  • Conduct regular audits: Regularly audit the company's financial and accounting practices to ensure compliance with ethical standards and laws.

  • Establish a culture of ethics: Create a culture of ethical behaviour by emphasizing the importance of integrity and ethical behaviour in the workplace. This can be done through company values, employee recognition programs, and incorporating ethical considerations into decision-making processes.

Conclusion: 

Work ethics are the principles and values that guide an individual's work-related behaviours and attitudes and are essential for maintaining professionalism and integrity in the workplace.

          


                                             


Reference:

Bastian, B. (2018) How to manage ethically ‘grey area’ behaviour in the workplace, LinkedIn. www.linkedin.com. Available at:https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-manage-ethically-grey-area-behaviour-workplace-brock-bastian (Accessed: April 5, 2023).

Gordon, C. (2021) IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, HR LineUP. www.hrlineup.com. Available at: https://www.hrlineup.com/importance-of-ethics-in-human-resource-management/ (Accessed: April 5, 2023).

Ingram, D. (2019) The Importance of Ethics in Human Resources, Human Resource Plans. CHRON. Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-ethics-human-resources-12780.html (Accessed: April 5, 2023). 

Lewis, A. (no date) Future Work Environment, 8 Features of Future Work Environment in Business. thebizmanagementguide.com. Available at: https://thebizmanagementguide.com/ (Accessed: April 5, 2023).

10 Traits of an Effective HR Professional (2021). Wilmington College. Available at: https://www.wilmington.edu/news/10-traits-of-an-effective-hr-professional/ (Accessed: April 5, 2023).

Work Ethics (no date) What is Work Ethics? Glossary. Available at: https://www.peoplehum.com/glossary/what-is-work-ethics (Accessed: April 5, 2023).




Positive thinker & Team player.

Comments

  1. George BertusApril 4, 2023 at 5:04 PM

    Great work. HRM and work ethics are two critical elements in building a healthy and productive workplace culture. Organisations that prioritise HRM and work ethics are more likely to attract and retain high-performing employees, foster a positive work environment, and achieve long-term success.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tharanga JayasundaraApril 4, 2023 at 9:08 PM

    Wow, effective execution, Work ethic refers to a system of moral principles and attitudes about what is and isn't appropriate conduct at work. Work ethic can be strong (good) or weak (bad), depending on an employee's motivation, personal beliefs, and the culture of the entire firm.

    A strong work ethic is a way of thinking that an individual brings to their work and shows they are very passionate about what they do.

    A lack of ambition and professionalism in the workplace is exhibited by an employee with a poor work ethic.

    Good work !

    ReplyDelete
  3. Arjuna kangara April 4, 2023 at 10:49 PM

    Good discussion on right time right people work the right place and nicely contact for all this parties ethical works

    ReplyDelete
  4. samila kumarasingheApril 10, 2023 at 1:22 AM

    Tharanga Jayasundara, I think you highlighted the most important area for sustainable business practices, I think business ethics became the most critical aspect with most of the well-established businesses,, especially branded businesses,
    For example, NIKE, ADDIDAS, APPLE, and SAMSUNG are highly aware of ethical business practices, here workplace ethics is another side of ethical business consideration. Here I think workplace harassment and discrimination are highly important to maintain work ethics.
    Further workplace ethics demonstrate the degree of professionalism which leads to enhanced career development, from the organizational point of view, having an ethical workforce leads to enhance customer satisfaction and competitive advantages

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tharanga WanigasundaraApril 19, 2023 at 4:55 AM

      Highly appreciate your value addition. And small correction I'm Tharanga Wanigasundara not Jayasundara 🙂

      Delete
  5. Asanka DevagiriApril 10, 2023 at 7:55 PM

    Interesting post, Good work ethics leads to success. It shows employee's behavior and attitude towards their job and the workplace. HR professionals can involve with creating good work ethics among its employees by monitoring, setting example, creating right working environment and improving professionalism. Ultimate goal of creating good work ethics is to achieve organizational goals with satisfied workforce.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tharanga WanigasundaraApril 20, 2023 at 9:35 AM

      Thank you so much for taking the time to leave an excellent comment.

      Delete
  6. Anton PereraApril 20, 2023 at 3:59 AM

    Another interesting post Tharanga. Good work.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nuwan SampathApril 20, 2023 at 6:29 AM

    Ethics is what guides us to tell the truth, keep our promises, or help someone in need. There is a framework of ethics underlying our lives on a daily basis, helping us make decisions that create positive impacts and steering us away from unjust outcomes. good job again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tharanga WanigasundaraApril 20, 2023 at 9:36 AM

      Thank you so much for taking the time to leave an excellent comment.

      Delete
  8. Dhanushka Jayanath April 22, 2023 at 8:44 AM

    It encourages and supports a successful workplace culture. Strong work-ethic individuals are highly motivated and frequently outperform their counterparts in terms of accomplishing organizational objectives. They set the bar high and inspire others to put in their all. Of course, everyone should support it and make it a part of the workplace culture.
    good article with required materials. Well done.

    ReplyDelete

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