Writing a Code of Conduct
As a business owner, you will have certain expectations of how your staff should behave. Having a written code of conduct is important as it provides clear instructions about what your staff can and can't do.
What a Code of Conduct Should Include:
The most common sections to include in a code of conduct are:
1. Ethical principles - includes workplace behavior and respect for all people.
2. Values - includes an honest, unbiased, and unprejudiced work environment.
3. Accountability - includes taking responsibility for your actions, ensuring appropriate use of information, exercising diligence and duty of care obligations, and avoiding conflicts of interest.
4. Standard of conduct - includes complying with the job description, commitment to the organization, and proper computer, internet, and email usage.
5. Standard of practice - includes current policies and procedures and the business operational manual.
6. Disciplinary actions - includes complaints handling and specific penalties for any violation of the code.
You can customize the different sections in your code of conduct to match your business requirements and the rules and policies you set for your staff. Search the internet for samples and templates or use another organization's code of conduct as a guide.
Regards, Amit