THE QUESTION OF THE DAY
HOW DO YOU MEASURE BUSINESS ETHICS?
As the volume of expected behavior and it's quality.
Because ethics are related to employee’s/people’s actions
Ethical standards are linked to the employee's actions (telling the truth, keeping human dignity, honoring our promises .etc). We scrutinize our inclinations and motives and then propagate them into our actions. Based on how our actions align with the company's cultural and ethical guide/expectations, we fit into the norm of ethical behavior (or not).
Looking at the picture above - which of the qualities for ethical behavior can you identify and which can you substantialize and measure in your organization?
Before we start to measure ethics, it is important to set a baseline expectation for ethical values and how much (volume) our actions adhere to them.
We suggest that company leadership should first build a foundation that enables ethical behavior. We like the 3T's - Transparency, Trust, and Tangible Actions. They not only drive ethical conduct; they are the foundation for the motivation of employees as well. See the post from Dec 6th, "How do you calculate motivation." When you start measuring the internal volume of expected behavior and it's quality, it is good practice to tie them to external indicators as well.
Some useful external ethical indicators are:
The volume of established and maintained a loyal and satisfied customer base
Quality and its rating of customer engagement (social media, reviews, support cases, escalations)
Build your Ethics on the 3T’s foundation
Our approach and platform support 3T's that drive ethical behavior - TRANSPARENCY, so everyone knows What's Going On (WGO), TRUST in fair work recognition or correction of everyone's conduct, and TANGIBLE ACTIONS that follow desired behavior. Then it's up to you to make motivation happen.
Success is never solely down to creative ideas or unique products or services. The difference between success and failure is actually down to the fundamentals of how you operationalize your business. Check our guide to the best operational and transformation practices, that people love.
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