Imagine being in an environment where anything and everything goes. Nothing will function in such an atmosphere, because for things to work, there has to be a structure, a way of life, a modus operandi, or a rule of thumb that everyone in that environment or system upholds, and having such a structure is very important, especially in the workplace. It would be a very big mistake to run a business, or a company where employees get to do whatever they like, a workplace without rules and boundaries, a place where juts anything goes. That workplace will be chaotic and the productivity of that company will turn out haphazardly, and this is why workplace ethics is a vital part of any successful working atmosphere. Workplace Ethics simply explain a mode of operation or mode of conduct of people. It is how people behave that is generally acceptable to the environment they find themselves. It is also tagged as a moral code guiding the actions, behaviors, and general conduct of people, and it varies from place to place. It is ensures a positive ambiance in the workplace. Where ethics in the workplace is concerned, there are several standards of behaviors suitable for the sanity, excellence, and productivity of any seriously goal-oriented and purpose-driven business, company, or organization. In this article, we will discuss the top (5) ethics that is paramount to be upheld in your office, shop, or site, wherever represents your workplace. These ethics are not just reserved for junior employees, but also for the senior level managers and executive of the company. Anyone who seeks the growth, excellence, and productivity of the business must uphold these workplace ethics. INTEGRITY It is true that not everyone understands the concept of integrity. A lot of people just think about honesty whenever they hear about integrity, but it is a lot more than that. Integrity means showing up when you say you would, doing things that you said you would, and letting your actions match your words. At work, being a person of integrity makes you a lot more reliable. Your boss and co-workers will simply lean towards you because they know you would do things you commit yourself to. You become a lot more trusted, and you are given a lot more responsibility. And guess what? The more responsibility you are given is a pointer of the amount of value you have and add, and value begets value. The more value you add, the more value - in terms of benefits - you are given. PUNCTUALITY You must have heard, huh, that punctuality is the soul of every business. For you to be successful in your business, workplace, or even in your career, you have to always show up early, or at least on time. Make it a personal value never to be late. Being a latecomer to a meeting robs you of the ability to negotiate because you spend the rest of the time apologizing for being late. Treat your workplace like a meeting. When you arrive early, it just shows that you are a respecter of time, and you are a person of integrity. He who doesn’t keep to time will never keep to his words. Of course, there will be situations when being late is unavoidable, especially if you live in a large city like Lagos, where you have to battle traffic congestion to and from work. When you find yourself in unavoidable situations, do your due diligence to reach the appropriate authority, informing them that you would be late. Do this before you are officially late. DISCIPLINE Discipline in the workplace requires that you do the work you are supposed to do when you know you are supposed to do it. Stop waiting until deadlines. Stop procrastinating. It is good to engage with your colleagues and co-workers, but it should never be at the expense of your productivity. It also involves knowing when to say No. It doesn't look good when you have to engage in office gossip when you are supposed to be creating a presentation for the investment proposal you are in charge of, simply because you can't say no to your colleague. Discipline is doing what you are paid to do, finishing your work long before it is required of you. COMPETENCE There is a reason you are in that work environment in the first place. You have skills, or at least are meant to have skills that will make you valuable. It might sound like competence isn't a question of ethics, but it is. You must always ensure you are competent enough for the due you are getting. It is unethical to receive value when you are not giving value. Therefore, seek growth. Increase your competency by adding relevant skills to your skill set while improving the ones you already have. Have a value mindset. RESPECT Remember that you are working with people of different backgrounds, beliefs, ideologies, experiences, races, ages, etc. You must learn to respect these differences. Respect their opinions, even when you disagree with them. If you must overtly disagree, do it with respect. Also, respect your co-workers' spaces. Nobody appreciates anyone butting into their private spaces, even if no walls are separating you all. In the workplace, ensure you are as respectful to other people as possible, and not only will you also be respected, you will find that these people will be of help to your work, and you will be a more excellent worker. There is a lot to gain as you uphold the ethics that drive excellence in the workplace. The five spoken of in this article aren't the only ones important, which is why, in a later article, we will discuss more ethical behaviors that will help you not only be a better employer or employee, but also a better person, and help build you an incredible, successful and fulfilling career. Abiola Okunsanya For ResourcePRO. Creating excellence through people. 
