When it comes to encouraging ethical behavior at work, a healthy work-life balance can make a big difference, according to the “2007 Deloitte & Touche USA LLP Ethics & Workplace” survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Deloitte & Touche USA.
Additionally, managers’ and supervisors’ behavior can foster ethical behavior in the workplace, as well as positive reinforcement thereof.
Sharon L. Allen, Deloitte & Touche USA chairman of the board, said the survey’s findings reflect the overarching importance of balancing work and life.
“In the competitive environment to attract and retain talent, it is imperative that employers provide employees with the means to attain a healthy work-life balance,” Allen said. “This is not only key to job satisfaction and retaining your most valued employees, but it is also critical in fostering an ethical workplace culture.”
Further, she said promoting work-life balance essentially boils down to common sense in terms of how a lack of it can lead to unethical behavior on the part of employees.
“When you think about it, if someone invests all of their time and energy into their jobs, it may have the unintended consequence of making them dependent on their jobs for everything, including their sense of personal worth,” Allen said. “This makes it even harder to make a good choice when faced with an ethical dilemma if they believe it will impact their professional success.”
The survey’s findings include:
- 91 percent of respondents say employees are more likely to behave ethically at work when they have work-life balance.
- 28 percent said high stress levels create problems in regard to work-related responsibilities and personal priorities.
- 25 percent cited long hours as a contributor to the same negative situation.
- 13 percent cited inflexible work schedule as a source of tension between work-related responsibilities and personal priorities.
- 28 percent said high stress levels create problems in regard to work-related responsibilities and personal priorities.
- 60 percent of respondents say job dissatisfaction is one of the main reasons why people choose to behave unethically at work.
- 55 percent of respondents say a flexible work schedule is one of the top three issues that lead to job satisfaction. (This was second to compensation, with 63 percent.)
- 42 percent of respondents say managers’ behavior is one of the top factors to encourage ethical workplace behavior.
- 36 percent say direct supervisors’ behavior is one of the top factors to encourage ethical workplace behavior.
- 10 percent of respondents say criminal penalties for violating the code of conduct would be a top reason to deter unethical workplace behavior.
- 16 percent of respondents say ethics training would have a positive effect on encouraging ethical workplace behavior.
The latter two findings indicate organizations must branch out beyond criminal penalties and ethics training in regard to promoting ethical workplace behavior, Allen said. She emphasized the importance of having a sound ethical foundation.
“In order to encourage high ethical standards within our organizations, we first have to provide an environment that is conducive to ethical behavior,” Allen said, and stressed the role managers and direct supervisors must play to achieve this goal.
“However, management and leadership have a huge responsibility in setting examples for their organizations and living the values they preach if they want to sustain a culture of ethics,” Allen said. “Corporate leaders have a duty to build and foster a values-based culture that thrives on high ethical standards and makes corporate and social responsibility a top priority. Only by instilling these values in our respective organizations will we be able to bestow a promising future to the next generation.”
