Regardless of whether your organization is legally mandated to have a code of conduct (as public companies are), every organization should have one. A code has value as both an internal guideline and an external statement of corporate values and commitments.
A well-written code of conduct clarifies an organization's mission, values and principles, linking them with standards of professional conduct. The code articulates the values the organization wishes to foster in leaders and employees and, in doing so, defines desired behavior. As a result, written codes of conduct or ethics can become benchmarks against which individual and organizational performance can be measured.
Additionally, a code is a central guide and reference for employees to support day-to-day decision making. A code encourages discussions of ethics and compliance, empowering employees to handle ethical dilemmas they encounter in everyday work. It can also serve as a valuable reference, helping employees locate relevant documents, services and other resources related to ethics within the organization.
Why is a code of conduct important?
A code of conduct serves not only as a set of internal guidelines for the employees to follow, but also as an external statement of corporate values and commitments.
A code of conduct can:
Define the company culture.
Set standards and expectations for employees to follow when it comes to their behavior.
Let customers and partners know your values, and from there they can work out if they want to work with you – creating a level of transparency for a healthy business relationship.
A well-written code of conduct clarifies an organization’s values and principles, linking them with standards of professional conduct when it comes to the behavior of the employees. As a result, codes of conduct set the benchmarks for companies to live up to.
Additionally, a code can support employees in general decision making by giving them a structure to follow when it comes to company behavior, allowing them to be prepared to handle ethical dilemmas in the workplace.
Having a code of conduct can give employees a structure to follow from the moment they join the company, reducing the chances of problems coming up, but also making the process of dealing with issues a lot easier should the worst occur. There should be no ambiguity when it comes to a code of conduct, because as soon as lines are blurred, rules can be broken.
As well as setting rules to follow, the code of conduct can let employees know what they need to do if they ever need to report a violation of company policy and lets them know the consequences of using false information.
Employees have a greater understanding of the business rules by having a code of conduct to follow, making life a bit easier for all parties involved. It improves the working situation for staff and promotes your business values too, attracting customers in the process.
Proper conduct is one of the values that play a vital role in achieving our company goals. As such, the Company expects all its employees to contribute their share in this effort by following the prescribed norms of proper conduct and behavior.
These shall be aimed primarily at developing self-discipline among employees: the maintenance of proper conduct rather than the imposition of corrective action. These shall also be aimed at correcting unbecoming conduct and unsatisfactory work habits in order to maintain a productive, safe, orderly, pleasant and harmonious environment conducive for work.
Responsibility of maintaining proper conduct and behavior among employees shall primarily be vested in their immediate superiors who shall themselves exemplify conduct becoming of a House of IT employee. This responsibility therefore includes behaving as a model to his subordinates, enforcing Company rules and regulations, initiating appropriate corrective actions when called for.
The objectives of the code of conduct are as follows:
1. Develop individual responsibility and respect towards an employee’s work, company authority and property, co-workers and customers.
2. Define the various infractions and their corresponding penalties and establish a uniformed code of conduct for the company and company’s correct particular behaviors inconsistent with company policies.
3. To ensure fair, consistent and uniform handling, treatment and administration of corrective actions.
4. To ensure that appropriate and constructive measures are taken to enable employees not only realize but also learn from their mistakes.
5. To establish standardized and well-defined parameters in the implementation of specific rules and norms of behavior that should govern the conduct of each employee, the company code of discipline, to ensure consistent and fair handling of disciplinary actions to correct particular behavior inconsistent with company policies.
Here are the guidelines of the code of conduct in the company:
1. Employees will keep the best interest of the company over and above their own or those of minority groups whether or not within or inside the company and whether affiliated or not by the company.
2. Disciplinary action is meted out when there is violation of the company’s authority either through willful action or negligence after compliance of due process requirements.
3. Disciplinary action or penalties shall be imposed immediately or as soon as possible after the offense has been established after compliance of due process requirements.
4. Disciplinary measures shall be imposed consistently. It shall be applied uniformly to offenders regardless of rank position. The same sanction shall be applied on any offender for offenses committed under similar facts and circumstances.
5. An employee found violating any of the rules and regulations hereby defined is entitled to due process of law and will be afforded the right to a prompt hearing. He shall be given an opportunity to air his side either orally or in writing before his Immediate Superior. The rules on disciplinary action will be meted out with fairness, justice and impartiality.
6. All disciplinary actions shall apply to all personnel of House of I.T. regardless of employment status and rank, and cover all violations committed within the company time or premises. Company premises include areas where the employee performs official duties even if such areas are physically outside the company premises or those in official business or work even if outside company premises.
7. Disciplinary action will be, as far possible, corrective rather than punitive. The choice of what disciplinary action to take must be commensurate to the infraction committed.
8. Certain rules are of general application and common to all operations and personnel, while others are relevant only to certain classes of employees and operations. For instance, offenses like theft, immorality and falsification, to mention a few, are of universal application.
9. Employees are expected to observe the proper conduct and attitudes in the performance of personal and official affairs which includes clients, customers and party suppliers. They will maintain mutual respect, honesty and courtesy in all their dealings, not only with their fellow employees, officers and members of the Company but also with the public at large
10. The responsibility for maintaining discipline of employees shall be the primary concern of the Immediate Head, Department Head and Human Resources Department any of which may initiate any disciplinary actions against the staff whenever a violation is committed. When an infraction of a Company Rule has been committed by an employee, the HR shall likewise issue written disciplinary actions and shall duly receive, acknowledged and signed by the employee concerned.
11. Disciplinary actions should be limited to corrective interview, verbal warning, written warnings, suspension or dismissal and should in no instance be in violation of labor laws and fair labor practices.
12. Discipline may begin at any step in the procedure, depending on the seriousness of the offense committed.
13. An employee has the right to bring up his grievances or complaints following established Company policies and procedures on grievances.
14. Grievances or complaints must be attended to with attention, concern and dispatch.
15. In each particular case, mere preponderance of evidence that an infraction or violation of these rules has been committed is enough ground for the imposition of the corresponding penalty.
16. Imposition of penalties herein prescribed should be without prejudice to appropriate civil and/or criminal actions. The punishment of any employee under these rules shall not bar his prosecution in the proper court of justice if the same act constitutes a violation of law.
17. At the sole discretion of the management, an offense may be mitigated to a lower penalty or qualified to a higher one, by reason of attendance or mitigating or aggravating/qualifying circumstance.
18. When a single act or omission constitutes two or more infractions or offenses, the higher penalty applicable will be imposed.
19. It is the duty and responsibility of every employee to be informed and be familiar with all provisions of this Code. Ignorance or unfamiliarity with the provisions of this Code shall not excuse violations thereof.
20. If an employee’s offense is serious or grievous and the continued employment of the erring employment endangers the interest of the company and the other employees, the employee may be given a preventive suspension, pending the investigation of his case. Should the employee finally suspended, the days he/she was preventive suspension shall be deducted from the penalty.
21. Except in serious or grievous offenses, or where the employee requested for a thorough investigation of the case, the Department Head concerned shall render decision on all offenses within 24 hours from the receipt of the Incident Report. The speedy disposition of cases shall thereof be the responsibility of the Department Head concerned.
22. When the company property is lost or damaged as a result of an irregularity, in addition to the penalties the employees shall pay for the cost of the loss of damaged property. (Restitution)
23. The management reserves its inherent right to amend, alter, modify or change all or any of these rules as may be warranted by appropriate circumstances. It will also exercise that’s right to discipline or dismiss employees for any other offense or serious infraction of rules although not enumerated herein, as warranted by the circumstances of each case and the limits provided by law.
The code of conduct and discipline is made for employees to comply and follow. If not followed there are major or minor consequences depending on the intensity.
Code of conducts differ from place to place.
Each establishment or organization has a tailor-made code of conduct and discipline that specifically caters to every employee needs and whatnot.
The whole scope of the code of conduct is found through this link: https://hoit-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/ersonc_houseofit_com_au/EmmURqgAItpEuTvFoF3jXggBgR67yk1H2iMf_JQ8HY2qtg?e=G1UmnV in the Company Policies folder and through the Rules and Regulations folder.
