Business owners dedicate a lot of time to hiring great employees. Hiring is one of the most difficult tasks of any manager. It can be a great benefit to the company if things work out or represent a significant cost if a mistake is made. Most of the time, employers hope the people they hire are honorable, hard-working and buy in to the company’s mission. However, that’s not always the case. That’s why it’s important that every business owner have this kind of policy that employees must read and adhere to. An effective ethical groundwork will help foster a company culture of honesty and fairness. The Woodall Law Firm PLLC has years of experience helping businesses draft ethics policies that improve employee performance.
Why do you need ethics policies?
Employers face a lot of risk when they hire people. Companies can be found criminally and civilly liable for employee actions that are tied to the business. The way an employee interacts with coworkers and employees also has a direct impact on a company’s reputation. It can also discourage misconduct. One way to prevent anything negative from happening is to draft a code of ethics and hold employees accountable to it. A good policy will train employees about common ethical pitfalls and how to avoid them. Ultimately the goal is to stop an employee from doing something that could hurt themselves, someone else, or the company.
What to include in your policies?
Two main components exist in most these types of policies. First, a non-retaliation clause makes reporting any ethical violation safe for employees without fear of retribution. Second, a clause about investigations guidelines will communicate to employees that you take reports seriously and will investigate them. Beyond these two clauses, the policies can be adaptable based on the issues you face, the sector your business is in, or any other specific item. It can govern how company equipment is used, how work hours are defined, as well as things like dress code and workplace conduct.
As these policies become mature, they can be developed to cover things like marketing and sales practices. Things like accounting procedures, expense reporting, and customer service all benefit from being spelled out in a code of ethics. Employees will know clearly what expectations are.
Implementing your policies
Ethical policy is an important area of focus for most human resources departments. They work to make sure it is easily accessible and easy to understand. When senior management lives by these policies, the rest of a work team tends to follow their example. This helps set and maintain a positive company culture where a business can be successful and employee morale remains high. Regular training and other activities focused on the ethics policy will help engrain it into company culture.
The Woodall Law Firm PLLC can help companies draft ethics policies that protect company assets and promote employee engagement in and around The Woodlands, TX. An effective ethical policy will help avoid misunderstandings or any misconduct and protect a company from liability so it can thrive.
Interested in learning more about labor & employment law?
To find out more about ethics policies for your company, pleasee reach out to one of our amazing employment and labor law attorneys in The Woodlands at The Woodall Law Firm PLLC.
