Office Code of Conduct
In
every society there are informal rules for social behavior. Similarly in a
working environment, where hundreds of people congregate, it is important to
have certain regulations for social behavior. This is the office code of
conduct. Each office has its own code of conduct which is particularly designed
to suit the organization's image.
Organization structure and communication channels are closely linked to the code
of conduct laid out in offices. If companies have rigid codes of conduct,
organization structure gets created to accommodate the strict standards.
Autocratic leadership styles emerge, and communication is restricted to
top-down. People find comfort in following the rule book and can work and thrive
only in a preset working condition. Creativity is however limited, but
discipline and regularity are maintained.
On the other hand, when companies operate on liberal codes of conduct with
limited rules and regulations, organizations have democratic leaders, flexible
work processes, open communication and loosely structured organizations. There
could be chaos and conflicts in such organizations. Creative freedom of
employees may be encouraged and people are open to change.
Without a formalized code of conduct, organizations cannot operate smoothly.
Most organizations have documented codes of conduct, which are handed over to
employees at the time of recruitment. Informal codes of conduct are passed
through the informal channels of communication within organizations. Code of
conduct can span across a wide range of behaviors: dress code, disclosure of
salaries, team related behavior, moonlighting or freelancing during free time,
use of office resources for personal work, travel and social interaction during
work hours and many more.
The framework of codes of conduct should not put restrictions on the personal
freedom of their employees. Rather it should set standards for good behavior and
create a healthy working environment for all employees. For an organization to
stay clear of dirty office politics, it is essential to frame reasonable and
fair codes of conduct. Rules should not be made so easy that it is easy to jump
the line; nor should they be so stringent that they encourage 'in the closet'
activities. Rules should be enforceable on everybody without any prejudice or
discrimination. With formidable and reasonable codes of conduct, organizations
can focus on meeting real business challenges than on merely fire fighting.
