DEVELOPING APPROPRIATE WORK VALUES, ETHICS AND CORPORATE CULTURE

BY

OMOLE ADETOUN (ACIPM) *

Session Outline•Learning objectives•Introduction•Definition of terms•Importance of work values, ethics and corporate culture •Factors that impact negatively on work values, ethics and corporate culture.•Developing appropriate work values, ethics and corporate culture•Conclusion

Learning ObjectivesAt the end of the session, participants should

be able to: define the concepts of work values, ethics

and corporate culture; explain the importance of these concepts; mention factors that impact negatively on

work values, ethics and corporate culture; and

list ways of developing appropriate work values, ethics and corporate culture in our organizations.

Introduction The need for appropriate work values, ethics

and corporate culture cannot be over-emphasised

The leadership/management style determine and sustain work values, ethics, and corporate culture

Appropriate work values guides your standards (ethics) and determines your corporate culture

Work values, ethics and corporate culture is crucial to organisational performance

Definition of Terms:Synonyms of the word, ‘Appropriate’: suitable, befitting, proper, well-timed, practical, workable, good , applicable…

Spot the DifferenceAPPROPRIATE INAPPROPRIATE

WORK VALUES the worth, importance or usefulness of something to somebody

are beliefs and practices you consider important

are passed down from generation to generation

govern what people do, how they do them , why they do them and their efforts

can aid or impede individual and organisational growth

become our way of life (culture) overtime

Personal work values Integrity

Loyalty to your team / boss / organisation / profession

Diligence

Maximising profits and minimising losses for your company (simply by doing your tasks / job perfectly)

Working as a team with your colleagues for the progress of the company regardless of your differences

Excellent customer service

Common organisational values include:

integrity service excellence / professionalism operational efficiency/competence cost - consciousness customer satisfaction technology know-how timeliness

Organisational values

Work Ethics (Formal Dress code)APPROPRIATE INAPPROPRIATE

The meaning of Ethics ... moral guidelines for the conduct of affairs

in a family, community, organisation and profession

morals of your industry morally good or bad, right or wrong involves ordinary decency/civility includes integrity, honesty, fairness,

dependability, inter-personal skills has its roots in our cultural values, belief

systems, norms, nuances ethics can take the form of laws whereby

violation of ethics are punished

Importance of Work Ethics Required for predictable behaviour, good communication for building relationships

ensures good conduct in the society

absence of ethics leads to disorderliness, chaos and anarchy

many professional bodies provide members with a code of conduct and ethics

violation of ethics attracts strong sanctions and discipline

Inappropriate Work Ethics

Appropriate Work Ethics Allegiance to authority

Office etiquette

Team spirit

Confidentiality and tact

Proper dress sense

Excellent interpersonal relationship

Emotional maturity/control . . . . . .

WORK ETHICS .... everything starts and ends with leadership – ‘trickle down’ effect

leaders (managers, supervisors, coaches etc) set the standards for their staff/subordinates/team

your attitude as a superior rubs off on your staff and they, in turn, act the same way towards each other and towards customers as well.

management need to act in consonance with employee expectation to foster commonality of purpose

the boss determines the speed of the team!

CORPORATE CULTURE

“How we do things around here”

...... Our shared beliefs, attitudes, norms, behaviours, practices, dressing, language (spoken and unspoken) systems, processes etc.

What is Corporate Culture? collective behaviour of people with common corporate

vision, goals, shared beliefs, habits, working language . . . .

a blend of values, taboos, symbols, routine activities a company develop over time

philosophy, behaviour, dress code, colour codes, attitudes that constitute the unique style and policies of a company

the personality of an organisation, the prevailing atmosphere visible by the way work gets done daily

organisational character evident through the actions/inactions/reactions of the staff and company practices

Corporate Culture

Benefits of Corporate Culture provides an efficient working environment

essential to create mutually respectable relationships

helps day-to-day simple and important action

guides peoples’ behaviour within an organisation

assists you in decision making whenever the need arises

gives you an edge in solving problems bordering on ethics, values, corporate culture and diversity

helps to shape and prepare employees for future responsibilities / challenges 

Class Activity

Let’s break into groups . . .

Critically analyse the case study and highlight salient points.

CASE STUDY Tauluus, a healthcare Manager, seems to have it all: an MBA degree, unstoppable energy, charisma, and a razor-sharp wit. Considering these raw ingredients of success, Tauluus should be a star. In reality, however, personnel turnover in his department is high, and morale is low. His career seems to be falling apart before his eyes. Why? The reason is simple: Tauluus has a high IQ, but his *EI, or emotional intelligence, is sorely lacking. He hurts others with ‘joking’ remarks, reacts badly to criticism, and becomes impatient when his employees bring issues to his attention. All the energy and advanced degrees in the world cannot overshadow these glaring weaknesses. Maybe Tauluus will get a clue soon and begin shoring up his EI, but until then, he is destined to ‘lead’ a crippled team or no team at all. Class Activity: Point out to Tauluus, three (3) ways he can shore up (strengthen) his Emotional Quotient. Highlight five (5) dangers of low E.Q in the workplace and suggest preventive and curative

measures.Thank you!  * E.Q meaning Emotional Quotient - the amount, quality and level of emotional intelligence. The ability to monitor/control your emotions and that of others’.* I.Q meaning Intelligent Quotient - a measure of a person's intelligence as indicated by an intelligence test; it is the ratio of a person's mental age to their chronological age (multiplied by 100). Emotion:A natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others.Feelings that characterize such a state of mind are joy, anger, love, hate, fear, horror, etc.

Resistance to Corporate Culture Ignorance on the part of staff,

Poor communication style

Leadership style

Inadequate / inappropriate training on work values, ethics and corporate culture

Lack of comprehensive orientation/ induction programmes

Dictatorial approach to initiating change

Resentment on the part of the workforce

The Way Forward... Comprehensive induction and orientation training programme

Periodic education in form of web-based trainings, classroom, understudying superiors, workshop, seminars, role - plays and so on.

Videos/dramas are most suitable because of its direct emotional appeal.

An easy-to-read staff hand-book (guidebook) may be provided. Organisations’ corporate culture is expressed in its mission and vision statement.

Motivate staff to abide by the company’s code of conduct and inform them of sanctions, and punishment where applicable.

Educate staff with necessary skills on how to handle ethical dilemmas.

Management should institute structures that detect early signs of contempt for the operational work values and ethics.

There should be a clear cut and widely understood procedure for handling grievances.

FOOD for THOUGHT “You don’t have to buy into the

Corporate culture, you don’t have to believe in it, all you have to do is fit in…

You may question whether you want to fit in, but if you want to get on and be successful in the company / organisation / industry, you must be a part of the corporate culture.”

- Richard Templar“The Rules of

Work’’

Any Question, Please?

Conclusion Work values, ethics and corporate culture defines your

organisation, - says more than words (branding)

Leadership / management style determine and sustain work values, ethics and corporate culture

Work values, ethics and corporate culture can make or mar organisational performance.

Personal values and ethics of staff must align with the organisational values, ethics and corporate culture.

ReferencesFor Further Study:Armstrong, Michael (2000). A Handbook of Human

Resource Management Practice Kogan Page, Penton Ville, London

Fajana, Sola (2002). An Introduction to Human Resource Management Labofin, Akoka Lagos

Heller, R. (1998). Communicate Clearly. Dorling Kindersley Limited, London.

Templar, R. (2003). The Rules of Work. Pearson Education Limited. Edinburgh Gate.

The End

Thank you for participating,