Mission, explicit policy, and implicit policy are the elements of ethical climate. Which element do you think plays the greatest role in influencing employee behavior? Why do you feel it is the most important?
Do you think your instructor wants MY ideas or YOUR ideas?
Realistically most employees know and understand the company’s mission, but getting a mission statement taken in by the company’s employees so that it will reflect behavior as a whole is unrealistic. That is why it came in as apart of my list of intangibles, but important. Explicit policy is especially important for new employees so that in black and white expectations are clear from the beginning. Now this can be a positive impact on employee behavior if those in management adhere to the company guidelines as well. Explicit policy can be rendered useless if those in charge have implicit policy that conflicts with either the mission or explicit policy. Ideally all there work in accordance with each other reinforcing positive company behavior however, management ultimately sets the tone as to the behavior of employees on a ground level and if management is unable to comply a crumbling of the system will ensue. Example, Store manager comes to work spending their day joking and watching TV with department mangers until the day is done. The leader of the managers has just set the tone that very little is expected from their work performance as long as they entertained the manager. Now the department managers go visit and joke around with employees not accomplishing anything for the day setting a tone to the staff on the floor level. Once the staff repeats the cycle of those above customer service is effected as well as the organizations reputation as a business. Rendering all efforts to setting up a system useless; accountability would have to be a necessary policy to adopt in order to maintain structure.
Behavior plays a big part in influencing employees. Behavior has the chain effect on employees and if the leader has a poor behavior and he or she does not care about their employees. When this starts then it spreads like fire and is hard to stop. Then employees will soon start to treat others poorly and it could then have a devastating impact on the organization. It can cause good employees to start to adventure to other jobs and making a bad situation even worse. But if the leader attitude is positive and he or she cares about their employees and interacts with them then that will carry over to others and bring in a good atmosphere for others. This can make the employees feel like they can cared about and not just a number to the manager. No matter how many policies and procedures are out there it is impossible to have one for someone’s attitude.
To determine which element plays the greatest role in influencing employee behavior in an ethical climate, we need to understand each element and its potential impact.
1. Mission: The mission encompasses an organization's purpose, values, and goals. It sets the overall direction and shapes the beliefs and motivations of employees. A clear and well-communicated mission can help employees understand the organization's ethical expectations and act accordingly.
2. Explicit Policy: Explicit policies are written guidelines that outline expected behavior and standards within an organization. They provide specific rules and guidelines for ethical conduct and help employees understand what is considered acceptable or unacceptable behavior.
3. Implicit Policy: Implicit policies refer to the unwritten or informal rules, norms, and behaviors that are indirectly communicated within an organization. These can include unspoken expectations, behaviors observed from leaders or peers, and cultural or social influences within the workplace.
While all three elements are important, the explicit policy plays the most critical role in influencing employee behavior in an ethical climate. Here's why:
- Clarity and Guidance: Explicit policies provide clear and specific guidance on what is expected from employees in terms of ethical conduct. They outline the boundaries, rules, and consequences, leaving little room for interpretation or confusion.
- Accountability: By having explicit policies in place, organizations can hold employees accountable for their actions. The existence of these policies establishes a basis for evaluation, disciplinary action, and performance management when ethical misconduct occurs.
- Consistency and Fairness: Explicit policies promote fairness and consistency by ensuring that all employees are aware of the same rules and expectations. This creates a level playing field and reduces the likelihood of favoritism or biased treatment.
- Legal Compliance: Explicit policies often address legal requirements and industry regulations. By adhering to these policies, organizations can ensure legal compliance and mitigate the risk of legal issues or penalties resulting from unethical behavior.
While the mission and implicit policies have their own significance, they can be subject to interpretation or may vary across different levels or departments within an organization. Explicit policies serve as a concrete foundation that employees can rely on for ethical decision-making and behavioral alignment.