Company X's workplace code of ethics and employee implementation

Company X Code of Ethics

Company X: Comprehensive Code of Ethics in the Workplace

Company X is a privately owned small business that seeks to provide one-stop shopping for customers by providing both groceries and pharmaceuticals in one convenient location. In order to operate to the best of its ability in an ethical manner, Company X has established a code of ethics that seeks to cover employees from the ground-up in order to provide a set of ethical guidelines that must be utilized in each of its day-to-day dealings with customers, suppliers, the community, and between employees. In order to achieve the highest level of utilization of this code of ethics, Company X has set forth a guide to training, educating, and guiding employees in terms of abiding by this code in hopes of fostering lasting relationships between employees and the entities with whom it operates.

Company X: Comprehensive Code of Ethics in the Workplace

Introduction and Background

Company X is a privately owned small business that aims to provide one-stop shopping for the customer by providing both groceries and pharmaceuticals in one convenient location. Company X seeks to set itself apart from larger chains that have become commonplace in its competitive market by maintaining a small yet dedicated group of employees who remain faithful to providing a level of excellence in service set forth in the company's code of ethics.

At Company X, the well-being of the customer is the lynchpin to the success of its code of ethics in day-to-day operations. To help the company maintain a commitment to achieving the highest standards of conduct possible, all the while asserting that the core set of values which determine how employees at Company X handle its operations are spelled out in the company code of ethics, Company X challenges itself to put the needs and well-being of the people it serves first.

Guiding Principles

As previously touched upon, the core purpose of Company X's code of ethics is designed to ensure customer appreciation and individual customer value over company motives and operations. This goal is the main focus of the company within both the market and pharmacy portions of the establishment. Therefore, the code of ethics of Company X has been largely written under the guiding principles of customer service and health and safety regulations compliance, each under the overarching goal of maintaining ethical standards and practices within the workplace.

Ethical standards are held at the forefront of each portion of the code that is written and enforced within the company. Company X largely follows the guidelines set forth in the Journal of Business Ethics (2011) which notes that the importance of a company code of ethics is threefold: first, a code of ethics enhances corporate reputation and brand image. Second, the code conveys the message that the corporation is committed to ethical behavior. And third, a corporate code of ethics works to rally employees around a corporate culture -- the values of which are expressed in the code, ensuring a sense of community amongst employees (Singh, 2011, p. 389).

Overall, the guiding principles of Company X's code of ethics allow for a focus on service, regulation and ethical behavior, establishing a community of employees that is aware of the mission at hand while at work to provide the services offered within the company.

Purpose of the Code

At Company X, the code of ethics established has been set forth to reinforce the moral principles and commitments of the company. These principles allow Company X employees to work in a manner that has been deemed both acceptable and behaviorally responsible by the company itself. The purpose of the code is to allow for employees to behave in this manner universally, which lets others discern what the organization itself stands for along with what should be expected when an outside patron decides to bring his or her business to Company X.

Further, the purpose of the code is to establish guidelines that are easily accessible and understandable within the workplace. The Journal of Business Ethics (2011) notes, that an effective code of ethics should stir several key questions in the minds of employees who view this code. These questions are: "Is information about the code provided or available to me when I need it? Is the code clear and easy for me to understand? And do I learn from it?" (Kaptein, 2011, p. 240). These key questions pinpoint the purpose of any successful code of ethics, including that of Company X, which is direction to employees in a manner that is accessibly, understandable, and useful.

Training and Education

Company X understands that a code of ethics within a company is nothing if it is not fully understood and enforced within the workplace. Therefore, Company X mandates education as to the code for all employees. The Journal of Business Ethics notes that "classroom-style training with a competent, articulate, and knowledgeable trainer is the most effective method of instruction for the distribution of ethical codes and regulations" (Emerson, McKinney, Neubert, 2010, p. 506). However, this method is just the beginning. In addition to the initial explanation of the code provided to employees by an instructor, implementation of the code must be demonstrated through exercises which allow the code to be utilized in staged team-building situations.

Through the utilization of team-building exercises in order for employees to fully grasp the concepts of the code of ethics as well as how to utilize these concepts in day-to-day work within the company, employees will not only achieve a higher grasp on company motives as well as achieve solidarity amongst each other. In learning the code together, training with the code together, and learning to utilize the code in day-to-day company interactions, a true sense of community is instilled within employees. In learning together, employees are more qualified to work together, which allow for a community of united, knowledgeable individuals who are more likely to report incidents of unethical conduct within the company.

Employee Coverage

The Company X Code of Ethics is a universal code for all employees who work within the company, from owners and managers to part-time staff members. As the code does not discriminate use in any situation, it does not discriminate in terms of which employees are mandated to follow it. Full employee knowledge and use of the company code of ethics allows for greater ethical awareness as an entire entity, as well as consistency in application and the avoidance of ethical disasters that could lead to lawsuits or other altercations.

While some believe that a code of ethics need not be universally-mandated within a company in favor of employees exercising their own better judgment in an ethical situation, universal compliance better serves company interests as a whole. Company X has faith in its employees to utilize their own ethical judgment in conjunction with the rules and standards set forth by the company in order to assure that actions within the company are performed at an optimal level across the board.

Implementation and Communication

In order to assure that a code of ethics is implemented to the best of its ability into a company, gradual implementation must be used along with clear communication as to each step of the process in order to assure that the code of ethics is fully understood and used within the company by its employees.

In order to begin implementation, a checklist regarding steps needed to begin code adherence could prove helpful in providing a smooth transition into code use. In the early stages of implementation, it is crucial that as many people as possible -- employees included -- are involved in both the development of the working code and the laying of its foundation within the workplace. In implementing the code slowly in order to gauge that it has achieved full understanding and compliance from the staff, managers and owners can then integrate the aforementioned core values into the process in order to provide incentives for success. With slow and steady implementation, employees are more likely to abide by and utilize the code in their actions as opposed to having regulations dropped on them in bulk assuming they will abide.

Slow and steady education in terms of implementation provides a greater chance that this knowledge will stick. Through the use of ongoing ethics workshops and team building to guide implementation, employees are given the opportunity to utilize the code in their own actions, which makes it far more likely that a system of checks and balances within the store is more likely, with workers keeping an eye on one another.

Along with implementation is communication which is key to the code being used to its full potential. Employees must be encouraged to communicate freely and openly between each other and with superiors in order to gauge how the code is being used and accepted within the company. Should an aspect of the code be difficult to understand or utilize, employees must not fear negative repercussion should they need to ask for further explanation from a manager or company higher-up.

Enforcement and Reporting

As noted, only if employees have a comprehensive understanding of the code and its purpose will they feel the need to report a lack of use among the staff. As well as reporting of an individual's lack of code use, employees should also be utilized in order to assess how well the code is working. Should an issue arise, employees should be encouraged to bring a lapse in code success to mangers so changes to the code can be made completely within the company as opposed to being made only after an outside complaint from a customer or supplier is lodged.

Employees should further be encouraged to report issues of non-compliance without fear of causing issues between co-workers. With open communication and discreet reporting standards, employees are more likely to raise issue with a manager rather than allowing an instance of noncompliance to slide by unreported. How then, is enforcement of the code assured? Singh (2011) notes that, "codes should include enforcement provisions and incentives to increase the effectiveness of a code and its compliance" (Singh, 2011, p. 388). In providing incentives to employees to report instances, chances are far greater that these incidents will be reported and addressed.

In allowing for clear and open communication amongst the staff in its entirety without fear of firing or lawsuit, issues are far more likely to be addressed when they are at a minimal level of severity. By making sure that employees are aware that reporting is a vital part of company growth, these employees will be less uneasy about addressing issues before they are able to escalate into an issue that could cause serious damage to the company or employee morale.

Mission Statement

As a small grocery store and pharmacy, Company X seeks to operate in a manner suitable to achieving its mission of providing customer satisfaction, loyalty to its employees, ethical treatment of staff and suppliers, and an active support of its local community. Company X is aware that a company is only good as the promises it keeps. To its customers, Company X promises to provide quality and satisfaction to its customers with quality products at competitive prices and first rate customer service in a safe and friendly environment. To its employees, Company X promises to value each employee as an individual in order to foster teamwork and camaraderie while providing job security and support. And to the community it serves, Company X promises to work in order to enhance community endeavors through contributions both financial and participatory.