Not a bad idea. There are far to many individuals and companies that need to go back to class.
No matter how large or small your business may be, the chances are good that there is some level of business ethics training that is needed – either by you or your employees or managers. Too often, however, many business owners think that business ethics training is a waste of time.
This, however, is not the case. Numerous things can be accomplished with business ethics training, and this type of training can be either very simplified or very complex. The business ethics training needed for you and your managers is typically more extensive and complicated than that which you will be requiring for your employees.
Implementing an ethics program in your organization accomplishes many things. First, research has found that greater attention to ethics in the workplace has actually improved society overall, in that we no longer have to fear poverty due to accidents in the workplace, and our children are no longer forced to work. Because of business ethics, people in the workplace have more rights, and are therefore more productive.
The business also benefits from implementing an ethics program. Employees are less likely to quit, and this enables the company to grow, and to cut down on the costs associated with training new employees as old – or not-so-old – employees leave the company for better jobs. With an ethics program, again, employees become more productive, and actually work better as a team.
An ethics policy also protects the business from a legal standpoint, ensuring that all policies of the company are in fact legal. Many people don’t realize it, but an ethics program covers a wide range of business departments, such as planning, management, research, development, human resources, and marketing, as well as numerous other company specific departments. Aside from this, an ethics policy also goes a long way in building a positive relationship with the community, as well as in strengthening the company’s public image as a whole.
Once business owners and managers have had business ethics training, training for employees can begin. This should include existing employees as well as incoming employees. The ethics program should be reviewed with all new employees during the training or orientation period. For employees, this usually not only includes a review of the ethics program, but may also use a number of example ethical situations, where the employee, or prospective employee, is asked to state how they would handle the situation.
Ethics training, or at the very least the ethics policy of the company, should be given to the employee for them to keep. Each employee should also be asked to sign a form stating that they have reviewed the ethics policy of the company, and that they have received the company mandated business ethics training.
This and other topics that deal with corporate communications, business to customer relationships, and sales training through Collective Vision are just some of the topics discuss.