Policies, procedures and codes of conduct must be enforced
Have you implemented policies and procedures and just circulated them to staff and
management or have you spent time in launching them, giving them meaning,
substance and life?
In many instances managers have been presented with copies of policies and no
guidelines as to how to implement them. The policy ends up in the “to do” items on
their desks.
The result is employees do not know about it, they have no specific details about the
policy content and therefore cannot be expected to take it seriously. Management is
lost as to how to implement and manage it.
Ethics, Fraud and Honesty are topics best not spoken about. Managers shy away
and hope the problem will disappear or that someone else will deal with it.
The dress code is something in writing that no one understands or adheres to and
management fail to implement it.
Grievance policies and procedures exist but employees are afraid to make use of it
due to lack of understanding and fear of victimisation.
Disciplinary policies exist and management fail to abide by the policy. They fail to act
on minor transgressions and wait for something serious to happen.
Codes of conduct and behaviour have been distributed but few employees
understand them or have differences of opinion regarding interpretation.
Most companies will admit there is a problem with some or all of these issues. The
problems range from minor instances to some major issues and losses running into
millions.
Companies, Local Councils, Government, The S.A Police Service will all admit to
having Fraud and Honesty policies, codes of conduct, disciplinary policies and
procedures and so on.
Most will admit to having a “zero tolerance on fraud and dishonesty” for instance but
most will also admit to the fact that nothing has been done to bring the policy to life,
to giving it meaning and substance. What makes matters worse is in many instances
no action is taken.
An employee steals something small and no action is taken or management ignores
it because it is not deemed to be serious or worth the effort. What message is being
sent?
So what can be done?
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Educate all employees and discuss the contents of all company policies,
procedures and codes of conduct.
Define exactly what dishonest behaviour is and develop a clear ethical vision
Cultivate a climate of conforming and best practice in the workplace by
encouraging employee “buy-in”
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Remove fear of the unknown and remove the possibility of the employee
pleading ignorance or lack of understanding
Employees will only take ownership of what they understand and believe.
Change will only happen when there is “buy-in” and management is seen to
be serious. Implementation and enforcement establishes the desired standard
and most employees like to understand the standard.
Rules, regulations and codes of conduct will be accepted when they are
enforced by management.
© Des Squire (Managing Member)
AMSI and ASSOCIATES cc
Cell 0828009057
des@amsiandassociates.co.za