1. Respect Everyone’s Time
Time is money and no one likes their money being wasted. The very first rule of business ethics is to respect everyone’s time.
This means forget about being late. You might have been always late for school or your college classes, but those days are over. If your working hours start at 8 a.m. you need to be ready to start working at 8 a.m. Of course, there are exceptions and special circumstances, like your car braking down or a huge traffic jam, but don’t let being late become your habit and something you are known for.
If you see that you are going to be late phone your boss; apologize and explain why you are running late. To find out how to reduce your chances of being late, check out the article on How to Always Be on Time in 5 Simple Steps.
On the other hand, if you are in a situation to have people working for you, you need to respect their time too. Don’t phone your employees outside of working hours unless it is about something super important. Try not to make them work overtime, because those people have families waiting for them to come home too.
2. Follow the Dress Code
Business dress code mostly depends on the company you are working for; you may need to dress conservatively or completely goofy, depending on your job. In any case, follow the dress code of your company.
The whole point is to fit in. If there is no determined dress code in the company, pay attention to what other employees are wearing and try to dress similarly. In the meantime, read about 5 Things You Need to Know About Looking Like a Professional.
3. Pay Attention To Your Behavior
Every business person is expected to behave according to their status and working place. One of the basic business ethic rules is to pay attention to your behavior. Here’s how to do that.
First and foremost, be nice and polite. Say “good morning” when entering the office and “goodbye” when leaving. Don’t ever yell at any of your coworkers or employees, no matter how critical the situation might be. Rather, calmly explain and politely ask people for everything you need them to do or change. Also, do not, and I mean DO NOT ever gossip. Girls love a good gossip, that’s true, but leave that for your private time. As soon as you are labeled as the gossip girl at your job, and trust me you will be labeled as one if you start gossiping, your career is pretty much going to come to a standstill.
4. Be Fair
Fairness is one of the most valued qualities among business people. Be fair to your coworkers as well as your employees.
If there is a job that you need to do, do your best to do it yourself instead of passing it on to someone else. If you need some extra help, ask for it. Moreover, if any of your coworkers need help and you have the time – offer to help them.
In case you are in a position to value someone else’s work, do that as objectively as possible. Consider only professional qualities of that person and leave your personal feelings towards them aside. Try to reward every person for their good work and extra effort either by a raise or small bonus if the company can afford that, or by a simple praise and “thank you”. Appreciating other people’s work is the key.
5. Be a True Professional
The last but not the least important rule of business ethics is to be a true professional. You will become one by simply following the aforementioned rules.
Remember that you are not just a business woman, you are a person too. Treat others like humans, and have compassion. We are all just people after all, not robots programmed to execute every task perfectly. People make mistakes and they learn from them.
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