Know What
Cannot Be Compromised
Every
business owner knows that there are some aspects of work that are discretionary
and other aspects with procedures that must be followed exactly. Do your people
know what these discretionary and non-discretionary areas are?
Discretionary
areas of business are those situations where you and your employees have room to
maneuver, compromise, bargain and make deals within established boundaries.
These
boundaries are the non-discretionary aspects of a business.
Non-discretionary
areas are topics or situations with very specific rules, regulations or other
guidance that requires one – and only one – way of acting. Compromise is
unacceptable in these areas.
Safety is one
non-discretionary area that is immediately recognizable. There are certain
safety procedures that MUST be followed or there is danger to workers. However,
there are other areas where your employees may not have quite as clear an
understanding of what is ethically correct.
To act
ethically, it is vitally important that you, as a business owner – and your
employees – understand what actions fall into which of these two areas –
discretionary or non-discretionary.
Often
different organizations and businesses provide different guidelines on
operational latitude. These differences may be due to the responsibilities that
employees have in performing their jobs. Or, the job requirements permit only a
certain procedure.
Universal
Norms
However,
there are several universal areas where zero tolerance for violations is
appropriate for all organizations. These universally accepted norms include:
- Laws and
regulations.
- Public and
employee safety.
- Truthfulness
of records and statements.
Stop and
think what would happen if you did not obey laws and regulations. Most public
and employee safety rules were created because injuries occurred or because
there was obvious danger. Business is based on trust and truthfulness. If
records and statements are not accurate, trust is lost.
Company
Specific Standards
Businesses
may add to this list with specific policies and procedures that they wish to
enforce for the performance of the company or to differentiate the company from
competitors.
Both, the
universal norms for ethical action and the specific policies and procedures that
a company adopts as standards, are areas where ethics cannot be compromised. As
a business owner, you must set the example and ensure your employees know these
ethical boundaries.