Virtually every company's mission and values statement has some method of measuring employee work ethics. Business and work ethics are essential components in operating a business. Measuring employee work ethics is subject to manager bias unless you provide specific guidelines for measuring this aspect of performance.
Instructions
1. Develop a performance management system that includes specific guidelines for measuring work ethics. Some examples of questions on a performance appraisal form that address work ethics are "Does the employee engage in productive working relationships with coworkers and management?" or "Does the employee demonstrate a genuine commitment to producing quality work, regardless of circumstances such as undesirable tasks?"
2. Provide supervisor training on be objective evaluating employee performance and model ethical business practices for employees to emulate. Supervisors who exhibit work ethics do not engage in unfair employment practices, they adhere to the business mission and philosophy. They are mindful of company limitations such as budget and refrain from making decisions that put the company in a position of liability or a diminished reputation.
3. Train supervisors to evaluate employee performance and recognize those characteristics and traits in their employees. Teach them to evalute employees on things like going a step further to complete a project, or lending their expertise to coworkers and team projects. Business ethics for supervisors and managers require a commitment to equal treatment and fair employment practices. When employees witness managers engaging in behavior that upholds the company philosophy, mission and values, they will emulate that behavior.
4. Communicate zero-tolerance for unethical business practices--whether by front-line employees or executive leadership. Employees and leadership must be held to the same standards where business ethics are concerned, because every segment of your workplace is representative of the entire organization. After you communicate workplace policies concerning sound business practices, any subsequent ethical misconduct becomes your measurement tool for individual or collective work ethics.
5. Observe employees while they're performing job duties. In addition, keep track of employee shortcuts, customer feedback and quantitative measurements such as attendance and reconciliation of accounts, for employees responsible for financial matters. Methods such as personal observation and document review are measuring tools that effectively uncover unethical employee practices.
