A code of conduct in the workplace is essential in any business setting. The code of conduct provides a guide that can be referenced should there be any conflict between the employer and employee or between staff members. It is designed to set out not just the rules, but to act as a guide so that everyone employed by the company is fully aware of what the organizational culture is.
To make a code of conduct in the workplace, it requires time and a great deal of thought. You should leave no room for ambiguity and try to think of every possible angle to communicate how you want your employees to behave.
To get started with your own code of conduct in the workplace, here are six the essential elements that you should include:
1. A message from the senior management
This can be personally from the CEO or from the management team as a group. Whomever it is from, this is a way to give authority to the document and to make it clear that this is a company-wide code of conduct. As the senior management, you will be making a commitment to abide by the code of conduct as well.
If you choose to include a picture of the CEO or the management team think carefully about what it is that you are communicating through this image. If you are expecting your employees to always be formal, then you should dress this way in the image. If it is more of a relaxed company culture, then this should be reflected in your attire.
2. The values you hold dear
You need to identify what your company stands for. There might be many values that you think are important. Some common elements include respect, ensuring the safety of employees, and protecting the environment.
No matter what you choose to highlight as the core values of your company, you will need to back them up with something more than just the words themselves. With the code of conduct in the workplace, you are asking the employees to buy into your vision. You need to give them a reason to.
This should be followed up with a clear commitment from you that you will abide by these values and seek to see them in your employees every day.
3. Respect for each other
Sometimes, you will need to lay out in explicit detail what might seem too obvious, but certain core values are worth repeating. In your code of conduct, you will need to state that each and every person in the organization is to be treated with respect. You should provide examples of what you consider to be appropriate workplace behaviour too.
There should be a strong message that any lack of respect shown to a colleague or any form of discrimination will be dealt with severely. This is important so that your employees know right from the get-go that they have to behave. In addition, these principles will offer them the protection should they need it.
4. Reporting misconduct
You should have your legal team examine this document in great detail, especially this section. You need to make sure that every employee knows the policy on misconduct and how they are to report it.
There should be clear examples of where and how each employee is expected to report anyone or anything that violates the code of conduct. In certain workplaces, sexual harassment can be particularly rampant, creating an uncomfortable working environment for employees. Not only do you need a way to report the misconduct, but you should also implement sexual harassment training courses in the workplace to ensure the behaviours won’t be recurring.
While it is easy to write this down, remember that you need to follow what is written down here. The reporting practices should always be monitored and maintained to ensure that the process is easy, fair and if needed, anonymous.
5. The role you play in the community
Social responsibility is vital for companies of any size. You should make sure that you invest the time and energy to make it clear that each employee is accountable for their actions. Everyone has a camera in their pocket now, so nobody is shy about taking photos and videos of anyone who they believe is up to no good. A lifetime of good PR can be destroyed in one quick snapshot of an employee in uniform doing something that they shouldn’t.
This is something that should always be reiterated within the code of conduct in the workplace. No one should forget just how important they are in projecting the image of the company to the outside world. As ambassadors of your brand, you need them to always be respectful inside and outside of the office.
6. Supplementary information
This is where you can include anything that is specific to your business and industry. Depending on the work environment, there might be specific guidelines and regulations that have to be enforced on a daily basis. This ensures the workplace is safe and compliant with the law.
You can also include some information on the company’s history and founder. This will further ground the employees reading this and respect the institution that they are joining.