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Work Ethics and

Accountability in
Public Service

Module 3: THE NATURE OF

WORK ETHICS
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Module 3: THE NATURE OF WORK ETHICS

Overview

This module discusses the importance of work ethics in public administration. This
will help the students learn and understand the types of behavior and ethics that should be
observed in the workplace.

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the module, the student will be able to:

1. learn and understand what is work ethics;

2. identify and apply the ethics and behavior in the workplace; and
3. develop a strong ethics in the workplace.

Essential Questions:

1. How important is work ethics in public administration?

2. How can you distinguish workplace ethics and behavior?

Discussion:

NATURE OF WORK ETHICS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION?

An important dimension of ethics in public administration is work ethics. It

represents a commitment to the fulfillment of one’s official responsibilities with a spirit of
dedication, involvement and sincerity. It also implies that a government functionary would
love his work and not treat it as a burden or load. And that efficiency, productivity, and
punctuality will be the hallmark of his administration behavior.

Efficiency has been a constant concern of administrative analysis and good

governance. Efficiency implies doing one’s best in one’s job, with a concern for maximum
possible utilization of human, material and financial resources and even for time to achieve
the prescribed and desired objectives (Arora, 2004).

Can we treat efficiency as ‘ethics’? Truly yes, for a genuinely efficient person has a
regard for the higher goals of governance, including public welfare and he devotes himself to
the expeditious achievement of those goals. Thus, an efficient person is also an ethical
person. He or she possesses administrative morality that is essentially rooted in a conviction
in the desirability of ethical conduct.

Another question is “Why is that the quality of services and goods produced by the
government organization relatively poorer than normally observed in non-governmental
sector”? Government schools, government dispensaries and government offices provide an
unsatisfactory look and render dissatisfactory services. The answer might lie in systemic
flaws – poor infrastructure, sloppy monitoring, lackluster control and evaluation and almost
an absence of reward and punishment system. Yet, the major factor behind the poor quality
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of output of public systems is the carelessness and callousness on the part of government
functionaries. Most of them do not have a feeling of ‘one-ness’ with their organization and
their job. They do not put in their best in their work and are half-heartedly involved in their
duties. As a result, unrealistic policies, irrational decisions, erratic changes in government
systems and an indifference towards the beneficiaries of the system surfaces.

Public administration is designed to serve the public. By its very nature, it ought to
be people-oriented and even people-centered. While bureaucracies are expected to be guided
by laws and rules, it is not necessary to make them mechanistically rule-centric. Public
administrative organizations are human organizations and they ought to be humane in their
policies, decisions, orientation and behavior. Being responsive to people’s needs enjoin upon
civil servants to be responsive to their psychological needs of being cared for, nurtured, and
helped. It is in this context that administrators ought to evolve and demonstrate a higher
level of emotional as well as spiritual intelligence that would make them empathetic as well
as sympathetic to feelings of a common person.

Anyone having access to administration should be meted out a treatment of respect.

This treatment should not be just ostensible, but real, authentic and profound. Ethical
behavior emanates from a pure and kind heart, and therefore, those who are in the business of
serving people should train their heart to be sensitive and compassionate.

Compassion involves a sense of empathy. It does not end with pity. It invokes
sensibilities to understand and even feel the pain of others and motivates one to be truly
helpful in overcoming this pain. Hence, administrative ethics in public affairs envisages that
the domain of feelings and the universe of rationality should find a happy blending in thought
as well as actions of public servants.

A positive and healthy approach to services entails courtesy and politeness in

administrative behavior, a desire to help resolve their problems, and satisfy them even when,
extra help cannot be rendered and matters have to be disposed off in accordance with the
legal and formal requirements of the system. A citizen-centric administration would be
strengthened through such an attitude.

WORKPLACE ETHICS AND BEHAVIOR

Ethics are the guiding principles that determine how people conduct themselves in
every aspect of their lives including the workplace. Ethics are used to determine what is
right and wrong, and usually dictate our course of action in our daily lives.

Work ethics is a set of moral principles or values than an employee abides by and
uses in their job performance. It covers an employee’s behavior and attitude towards their
job, career, and the workplace.

Good work ethics play an important role in bringing benefits to a business in many
ways. Generally, strong ethics attract customers/clients who appreciate honest services that
will then boost the sales and profits of your company. Having a respectable reputation also
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helps to attract new customers and builds higher loyalty among customers. For public-listed
companies, having a strong ethical behavior and corporate social responsibility would bring
confidence in investors, thereby maintaining the high value of the company’s position in the
marketplace.

Honest, hardworking employees who are driven by principles of decency and fairness
increase overall morale, improve your company’s reputation and help ensure long-term
success. Understanding the elements and challenges of ethics and behavior can help you
create a harmonious working environment.

Establish Company Behavioral Policies

One of the most effective means of establishing the proper ethics and behavior at your
workplace is specifying what is acceptable and what isn’t acceptable among your employees.
This must begin at the hiring stage and continue through each step that an employee takes in
the hierarchy of your business. Specifying policies means writing them down in a manual
that summarizes expected conduct while also detailing job descriptions.

Behavioral guidelines typically address topics such as harassment, worth attire and
language. Workers who don’t follow codes of conduct may receive written and verbal
warnings, and ultimately be fired.

Stress the Importance of Integrity

Integrity is all about behavior that is honest and forthright. Employees who have
integrity are transparent in their actions and willing to do the right thing, even if it means
personal sacrifice. You can create an environment of integrity at the hiring stage, ensuring that
your human resources department discusses this principle during employee interviews. Integrity
is especially important in industries such as health care. For example, caregivers who work with
mentally or physically challenged patients must possess a high level of integrity because of the
amount of authority they have over those who depend upon their services.

Give Employees a System to Report Unethical Behavior

It’s important to give your employees a means through which they can alert business
owners about unethical behavior at the workplace. Business owners are often the last people
to know that some members of their staff are behaving in ways that could negatively impact
the long-term reputation of their companies. This is less likely to happen if you have a strong
system in place that gives employees a means to report unethical behavior.

Some of the key elements of this type of system should include:

 Easy for all employees to use.

 Swift response to any report of bad behavior.
 Anonymous reporting to prevent retaliation.
 Follow-up after the initial investigation.
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Promote a Team Concept

A vital aspect of the workplace is working well with others. That includes everyone
from peers to supervisors to customers. While not all employees will always like each other,
they do need to set aside their personal or even work-related differences to reach a larger
goal.
In many instances, those who are not considered “team players” can face demotion or
even termination. On the other hand, those who work well with each other often can advance
on that aspect alone, with teamwork sometimes even outweighing performance.

Define the Consequences of Unethical Conduct

Employees who violate the ethics rules you’ve established for your business must
face consequences for their actions. This can range from a verbal warning, written
reprimand, suspension or even termination for violations such as repeated sexual harassment,
theft, physical abuse and embezzlement.

COMMON WORK ETHICS

1. Integrity

One of the most important workplace ethics is integrity. It is “the quality of being honest
and having strong moral principles, a personal code of conduct that goes above the level
of good conduct and encompasses the spirit of good conduct.” Employees with integrity
are usually the ones you can count on, the ones with the highest moral values and the
ones who are bent on doing the right thing at all times.

2. Honesty

Being an honest individual means you do not deceive others by giving out misleading
information. This includes the truthful way of conduct that is usually without the
intention of lying, cheating or any form of falsification. Customers typically only deal
with a business or a service provider whom they trust. In a workplace, an honest
employee is the one you can rely on to continue doing their best in their jobs for the
company’s benefits.

3. Discipline

At times, an employee may be talented in his line of work but lacks the commitment and
dedication to complete the tasks given. It requires a certain level of discipline to not only
complete the tasks within a certain time frame but to also execute them well, instead of
doing just the bare minimum at the very last minute. Disciplined employees are
extremely important as they ensure that all assignments and projects are delivered and
executed in a timely manner.
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4. Fair and respect

Achieving an ethically strong workplace involves the cooperation of every employee,

from top decision-makers/leaders to entry-level employees. No matter which level you
are at, you need to ensure that all your actions are fair and just, particularly if you are
entrusted with a position to lead. This will ensure a positive work culture in your
organization. Always remember that every one of your staff deserves to be treated with
respect and dignity, regardless of who they are or which position they are at.

5. Responsible and accountable

If an employee has a strong sense of responsibility, he or she would undoubtedly turn up

for work on time and complete the tasks given with the best effort that he or she can
offer. Nevertheless, there will be a time when an employee may make a mistake, hence it
is important to also be able to acknowledge these mistakes, be accountable for it and
accept any consequences. In certain scenarios, an ethical manager will take
accountability for their staff or colleagues for reasons that are not for self-interest but for
the well-being of all parties involved.

10 WAYS HOW MANAGERS CAN INSTILL STRONG WORK ETHICS AMONG

EMPLOYEES IN A WORKPLACE

1. Clear Goals and Objectives

More often than not, it becomes difficult for employees to complete tasks without clear goals
and objectives. Employee’s work ethics also strengthens when they are fully aware of the
work they are doing. Team leaders or managers should clearly explain the goals and
objectives before they start new tasks. Irrespective of talent and work experience, employees
need direction. Every organization follows a definite corporate ethical culture. Therefore,
managers need to align them with clear goals and objectives.

Hence, they can ensure the following points while they do it –

 Goals should be measurable and maintain a fixed time frame.

 It should be challenging and, at the same time, achievable.
 It must be well accepted by the team members before implementation.

2. Proper Mentoring

“The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image but giving them the
opportunity to create themselves” – Steven Spielberg

Managers should set clear goals and objectives regarding the organization’s work ethics and
code of conduct. Once that is done, you need to offer good mentoring and training
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programs to groom your employees. You need to embrace your role as a teacher/mentor
and guide them in every step, especially in their initial days.
As managers, you need to use a combination of methods or approaches to mentoring them.
Try to make the instructions or lessons interesting using well-structured presentations, catchy
graphics, or videos. During the mentoring process, ensure effective communications by
conducting one-on-one meetings or timely team meetings.

3. Set a Good Example

“If ethics are poor at the top, that behavior is copied down through the organization.” – Robert Noyce

If you want to instill good work ethics among your team, you must lead them from the front.
Until and unless you (or the people at the managerial level) don’t set the benchmark for your
team, you can not expect to see great results. It is crucial to have an organizational code of
conduct and ethics, but it is more important to ensure everyone abides. Humans perceive
through their senses and act accordingly. Therefore, to ignite the light of dedication and
commitment, you must be the torchbearer.

In other words, you should always ‘Practice what you preach.’ We are more likely to follow
or do something relevant to us and have a good motive behind it. When you motivate your
teams or lead them, you should always go back and forth and see if you have set a good
example.

4. Create the right Work Environment

“A disorganized workspace means disorganized work habits. A sloppy work environment equals sloppy
results.” – Larry Winget

A clutter-free work environment is a doorway for clarity of thoughts and ideas. It’s a
psychologically proven fact that our physical environment links directly to our mental
wellbeing and productivity.

The aesthetics of the physical work environment differs from the size of the organization.
But you can always make it safe and friendly for your employees.

Ensure your employees feel safe and don’t have to worry about a confined desk or a power
cut issue. It may not seem to create much of a hurdle, but such minor issues’ repetition
impacts their work ethics. This shows a less responsible attitude towards the employees and
their needs. Eventually, this makes the employees less accountable for the work they do.

5. Professionalism

“The essence of professionalism is the focus upon the work and its demands, while we are doing it, to the
exclusion of all else.” – Steven Pressfiled

You know a real professional by the way they talk, dress, and conduct in the workplace.
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A professional person exhibits a quality of craft and service. Professionalism starts with
trust, conduct, loyalty, discipline and hunger for excellence. Employees with this work ethic
take work wholeheartedly and strive to bring excellence in whichever position they are into.

They are always respected for their conduct and no-nonsense attitude towards work. This
draws the team members towards his/her vision. Managers, therefore, can promote
professionalism and bring goodwill to an organization.

Managers can stimulate professionalism by –

 Keeping one’s own word and trust.

 Striving for excellence.
 Being respectful, honest and transparent.
 Acting with integrity.
 Keeping a learning attitude.

One with professional work ethics is always well-perceived by their peers. And they always
enjoy their work-life with contentment.

6. Discipline

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” – Jim Rohn

It is one of the core elements or work ethics, and management must be very particular about
this aspect. When discipline becomes part of the company culture, it will resonate with all
your workforce employees. By instilling a culture of self-discipline, employees can
positively overview their actions and reactions.

Discipline begins with punctuality. Managers can put particular emphasis on maintaining
punctuality in the organization. Punctual employees are less likely to take leaves. Also,
employees who take leaves frequently are considered a burden to the organization.

Discipline helps maintain the decorum of the workplace. Would you enjoy working in an
environment with constant chattering? Or can you concentrate on your daily tasks with high
disturbances? Thus, discipline helps team members work efficiently towards desired goals
and objectives of the organization.

7. Understand your Employees’ Needs

If you want to create a highly motivated workplace, you must acknowledge the need of your
employees. Employees show a high level of engagement and commitment when their needs
are met. They also feel extra motivated and become more inclined towards the goals and
vision of the organization.

Daniel H. Pink, in his non-fiction ‘Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates
Us,’ says acknowledging the employees’ need for Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.
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Autonomy gives employees a self-direction. Mastery gives them confidence in their skills.
And a sense of purpose makes their work meaningful to them.

Today, the need for the employees varies. What worked in the past may not work today.
Work trends are changing, and so are the employees’ needs. For example, working parents
might expect the flexibility to fulfill personal commitments. And at the same time, a fresher
would seek more training and development programs to improve their skills. And all of these
directly impact the work that they do. Therefore, understanding employees’ needs help
stimulate performance and job satisfaction.

8. A Culture of Constant Feedback

Elon Musk rightly said, “I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re
constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better.”

Feedback is an essential part of the workplace communication cycle, and hence, constant
feedback plays a vital role in nurturing an environment with good work ethics. Honest and
constructive feedback is essential for any organization to build a culture for continuous
improvement.

Facilitate open discussions, transparent work culture, suggestions, and rigorous exchange
of ideas and information. Update the norms of the organization with the latest and best
trends from different parts of the world.

9. Fuel their Spirits

“Keep your eyes open and try to catch people in your company doing something right, then praise them for it.”
– Tom Hopkins

Human beings have an intrinsic need to thrive for appreciation. Rewarding and
recognizing is a good practice to ensure that the momentum of appreciation is maintained. It
acts as a motivator in “keeping up the good work.” Employees setting good examples for
others by their sound work ethics are just as deserving of recognition as your best performer.
It is your responsibility to fuel their spirits and make them feel valued and appreciated.

10. Eliminate Obstacles

Finally, to instill strong work ethics among your employees, you must eliminate the hurdles
in their way. Identify the critical obstacles for your employees showing poor work ethics. If
your employees are disengaged and demotivated at work, the chances are high that they
wouldn’t show strong ethics at work.

Negativity in the workplace, office politics, strict hierarchy, lack of recognition, and
inadequate benefits can lower workplace morale. Remember, the values of ethics will only
bear fruits when they come to employees intrinsically. Do not act impatiently. Identify the
factors, talk to them, and be respectful. It could be anything from internal communication
among team members to undefined company culture or any personal issues.
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Summary

Manifesting success and contentment is a continuous process; thus, one needs to have the
commitment and right work ethics to achieve the same. You cannot paint the office walls
with work ethic quotes and expect everyone to follow them. Initially, it may work for you.
But with times, a workplace culture evolves. So, you cannot follow your old dos and don’ts.
You must adapt and understand the employees’ pulse and create an environment where
everyone can thrive together.

References:

10 Ways to Develop Strong Work Ethics Among Employees. Braja Deepon Roy

Ethical Concerns in Public Administration. Vishal Kumar, academia.edu