Which of the following is the best method for preventing an illegal or unethical activity?

Unethical behaviors can plague a workplace, whether an executive steals money from the company or an associate falsifies documents. Unethical behaviors can damage a company's credibility, causing the business to lose customers and ultimately shut down. However, business owners and their management teams can work with employees to prevent unethical behaviors.

Create a Code of Conduct

A written code of conduct provides employees and managers with an overview of the type of conduct and behaviors the company expects. It outlines what behaviors are unacceptable and what measures are taken if an employee violates the code of conduct. For example, a company with a social media policy in place prohibiting company discussion may need to discipline or fire an employee who violates the policy by ranting about a new workplace initiative.

Lead By Example

Employees look to business owners and managers for direction on how they should conduct themselves. As a business owner, make ethics-based decisions and monitor the individuals you put into leadership roles at your company for the same values. If you see a manager violating company practices, such as a policy against workplace relationships, intercede immediately to retain credibility with other workers.

Reinforce Consequences for Unethical Behavior

Business owners must hold their employees accountable when they act unethically. Start by informing new employees of the rules during their orientation sessions. Make sure all new workers know the consequences of policy violations. If an employee acts unethically, refer to the code of conduct and take the necessary measures to warn or terminate.

Show Employees Appreciation

Loyal employees feel that a company values the hard work they put into accomplishing tasks on a daily basis. A loyal employee is less likely to act unethically. Show appreciation to workers on a regular basis to encourage loyalty. Consider offering an extra day off per quarter or year to top performers or institute a bonus program in the sales division to reward hard work.

Welcome an Ethics Speaker

Schedule an ethics trainer to visit your work site to discuss ethical behavior and explain why it is important in organizations, regardless of the size or industry. Ethics trainers use role-playing, motivational speaking, videos and handouts to illustrate the importance of ethics in the workplace.

Create Checks and Balances

Rather than putting related responsibilities in the hands of one employee, create a system of checks and balances to minimize the opportunities for unethical behavior. For example, a sales associate rings up customer purchases, while an accountant balances the books to ensure that all payables are received and documented. Use an annual audit to verify established procedures are being followed and develop new policies to address any unique situations that arise during the year.

Hire for Values

When business owners hire employees, many seek to bring on individuals who have the education and experience that prove they are skilled workers, capable of handling the tasks at hand. Employers who want to prevent unethical behavior also look at candidates' values to ensure they mesh with the company's culture. Make sure a new employee believes in working diligently to earn a salary and are ready to comply with company policies.

Unethical behavior is when a person, a professional, or an industry does anything that is considered unacceptable because they are against the social norms. Individuals, businesses, professions, and politicians may all engage in unethical behavior.

What is Unethical Behavior in a Workplace?

Any illegal behaviors, such as stealing or assaulting coworkers, are unethical in the workplace. However, unethical behavior can encompass a far larger range of activities, such as willful breaches of business regulations or the use of hard-sell sales tactics that, although technically lawful, take unfair advantage of human frailties. Unethical behavior may be seen in many sorts of enterprises and a variety of settings.

Workplace Unethical Behavior: What are the Different Types

• Intentional dishonesty in the workplace

Claiming credit for someone else's work, calling in ill to go to the beach, undermining someone else's job, and, in sales, misrepresenting the product or service to obtain the sale are all examples of deliberate deceit in the workplace. Other examples of purposeful deceit exist, but they illustrate how destructive deception can be when it is used to undermine a person's rights and security.

• Conscience violation

Your sales boss summons you to his office and threatens to fire you unless you sell 50 huge toasters during the next two weeks. You're well aware that giant toasters are poor items, therefore you've been recommending little toasters to your consumers. To retain your job, you must go against your morals and advise your clients to purchase the huge toasters. Your supervisor is acting unethically by pressuring you to do something you know is illegal while also risking your job and maybe losing key customers to accomplish a product sales goal.

• Failure to keep promises

If you complete an important assignment by a specific date, your employer promises you an extra day off. You labor long hours and complete the job ahead of schedule. You suggest your day off to your employer, who replies, "No, we have too much work to accomplish."

Your supervisor acted unethically, ensuring your suspicion and refusal to assist in department emergencies in the future. Furthermore, you are likely to complain to your coworkers, prompting them to doubt the boss's assurances and refuse to comply with his requirements.

• Theft and other illegal activities

Workers who cheat the organization by stealing items for individual use or inflating their expense accounts are involved in unethical activities. If a corporation chooses to ignore such theft to keep employee morale high by not terminating a popular employee, other employees will steal to feel like they are receiving the same deal as their coworkers.

Management/Employer’s Unethical Behaviors

Employees aren't the only ones who need to be concerned about workplace ethics. Employers are likewise subject to workplace ethics and may face legal action if they engage in unethical activity.

• Job/Promotional Sex

Managers, bosses, and key decision-makers frequently exploit their positions in the company to influence hiring decisions in return for sex.

• Unpaid Overtime/Late Night Out

Some businesses take advantage of desperate job searchers and a tight labor market to take advantage of their employees' free time. They do so on the assumption that by hiring them, they are doing them a favor, not realizing that the favor is reciprocal. Employees who are afraid of being questioned or losing their jobs are unable to object to the employer's intrusion into their time.

• Undue Pressure

Deadlines placed under undue stress are an excellent approach to ensure that work is completed on time. When staff is under a lot of pressure, they will sacrifice quality for on-time delivery. Giving an employee a one-day deadline for a project that would typically take a week is an example of unfair pressure.

• Nepotism

This is a sort of workplace corruption that occurs often. Because of another employee who is a family friend, family, or friend of the boss, an employee who has been working hard for years while affecting company growth may be passed over for a promotion. Employee morale suffers as a result of situations like these, and brilliant people may be tempted to depart.

Techniques for Avoiding Unethical Conduct

• Establish stringent policies

The company's policies should be stringent. In fact, the company's rules and regulations should be explained to the new members by the leader. If someone disobeys the rules and you discover unethical behavior in the workplace, you should warn them, and if the error is serious enough, that person will be fired. 

A surprise audit by management is something that should be done from time to time. As a result, workers will think twice before engaging in unethical activities.

• Make the most of your position as a leader.

Leaders should put forth more effort than their subordinates. As a result, your staff will be inspired by you and attempt to emulate you. Studies suggest that managers in several organizations don't perform any job and instead shout at their staff. It is fairly common to find a case of unethical activity in the office of this type of employer.

• Appreciate the hard work and loyalty

This is one of the essential factors that might help to avoid unethical behavior at work. Getting loyal employees is becoming increasingly difficult. If someone works diligently to achieve a goal, their efforts should be recognized. Employees that work well should be rewarded with a bonus, a present, or an extended holiday. As a result, they will realize that their efforts are valued by the organization, and they will strive to work even harder in the future. Others will compete for honor and recognition as well.

• Choose the best candidate

The organization usually selects someone who has strong working skills and a decent education. They should also consider their loyalty, character, and interpersonal conduct. In the majority of situations when unethical activity is seen, such as taking papers or money from the workplace, a group of three or four employees has been identified as being involved in the crime. As a result, choosing ethical personnel will help to create a favorable work atmosphere. 

• Invite motivating speakers to your event

Most individuals nowadays are dissatisfied with their jobs since there is nothing fresh to look forward to. In fact, circumstances such as a motivating speech by a well-known figure can inspire individuals to reach virtue by doing the right thing. Furthermore, these programs will instill ethical ideals in your staff and keep them away from unethical activity.

• Make sure your staff knows you believe in them

In the corporate world, don't put your faith in just anyone. You'll learn who you can depend on. Leaders, on the other hand, should treat everyone as though the leader trusts them the most out of everyone else. As a result, others will appreciate your faith in them and work to maintain that trust factor.

In a Nutshell

A perfect company/organization doesn't exist. Negativity will always be there in some form or the other. The organization will undoubtedly flourish if the leader is someone who knows how to get work done from all types of people. And if the leader doesn't know how to treat his people, there's a probability he'll engage in unethical behavior. The rational solution is to receive behavior training from an expert.

What are the 3 general categories of unethical and illegal behavior?

Which of the following should help reduce the incidence of unethical behavior in an organization?

How do you overcome unethical behavior?

What should you do if you observe unethical behavior in the workplace?