| Business Ethics - blah, blah, blah. There's no such thing. | | | | - Creating values, posting them in the break room or |
| There are only ethics. They stem from your values, | | | | on your web site and calling your organization an |
| attitudes and beliefs. Since people make up | | | | ethical or values-based business. |
| corporations and organizations, it's their values, | | | | Creating a culture that is ethical or Values based |
| attitudes and beliefs that get brought into these | | | | should not be treated as a single event. This will |
| environments. How they match up is a measure of | | | | involve engaging a consultant to come in and conduct |
| performance. | | | | an initial assessment to determine the culture climate. |
| The 2007 National Business Ethics Survey was | | | | This will also involve a series of training conducted as |
| released last month and guess what? They're | | | | workshops, seminars, teleconferences and other |
| Baaaaaack! Problems are back and at pre-Enron | | | | means for leadership, staff and employees. Clearly |
| levels. The study reports that only 9% of companies | | | | established objectives, measures and values will be |
| in the U.S. have strong ethical cultures. Is yours one | | | | set forth with responsibilities for both the consultant |
| of them? Over 50% of employees surveyed said | | | | and the company in order to achieve the desired |
| they saw ethical misconduct of some type and were | | | | outcome. |
| afraid to report it for fear of retaliation or that | | | | What will work? |
| reporting would not result in any organizational | | | | - Establish clear values and your organizational code |
| changes. | | | | of conduct. |
| What has failed in the past? | | | | - Interpret those values for your employees. |
| - Hotlines - they don't work. If employees want to | | | | - The Values you reward are the behaviors you can |
| report violations, they prefer to do it to someone | | | | expect. |
| they know and feel comfortable around. The | | | | - Hire, promote and develop a succession plan that is |
| challenge? What if the person they are comfortable | | | | congruent with your organization's values. |
| with is involved in the infraction? | | | | - Show employees that reporting makes a difference |
| - Having or conducting business practices that are not | | | | and provide multiple safe havens for reporting. |
| congruent with your organization's values creates | | | | Now is the time to begin establishing your |
| conflicts and involves ethical decision making on the | | | | organization's true competitive advantage in the |
| part of employees. Do what's right or do what will | | | | marketplace. How much is this costing your business |
| generate revenue and profits? | | | | in terms of lost employees, lost sales, slowed |
| - Heavy handed ethics penalties. The "off with your | | | | production, employee conflicts, reduced |
| head" mentality doesn't foster individuals wanting to | | | | communication and a myriad of other areas with |
| do the right thing. It fosters fear. | | | | financial implications? |