A company’s code of conduct exists to communicate its expectations, standards, and values to employees. It conveys your vision, protects the company’s image protects employees from harm, and lets employees know what is expected of them.
While the company’s values should be implemented on an organizational scale, the code of conduct aims to inform employees on how they should behave in day-to-day interaction in order to reflect those values and to create the right company culture.
In this article, you can more about what a code of conduct is, why they’re important, and find 24 examples you can use to inform company policy.
What is a code of conduct?
A code of conduct is a document that outlines the expectations for employees working at your company. It can contain your principles, standards, ethics, and more.
Entries in a code of conduct can vary greatly in purpose. Some may be rules to protect employees from harassment, while others may inform employees of the standard of care expected, and others still may simply be advice that employees need to flourish in your organization.
Why create a code of conduct?
A code of conduct benefits everyone in the company, including employees, stakeholders, business partners, customers, and the company itself. In some places, such as the US, a code of conduct is even a requirement for companies.
For the employees, it lets them know the standards and behavior that are expected of them. It gives them recourse in the event of issues between them and another employee, and lets them know what they can do to succeed.
On the part of business partners, customers, and stakeholders, it communicates your values and informs them what kind of business you are. Customers are increasingly conscious of the values and actions of the companies they purchase from, and communicating your values and ethics honestly can produce a positive reception.
And for the company, the code of conduct is an essential part of creating a productive and welcoming company culture, ensuring compliance through the use of defined policies, and protecting your company’s image. It also provides a useful guideline for management.
24 code of conduct examples
Your company’s code of conduct should be personalized to reflect the values and culture of your organization. But if you’re looking for a few ideas for inspiration, here are 24 examples you could use in your organization’s code of conduct.
Be on time
If you're going to the office, always arrive early. Aim to be at least 15 minutes early every day. That way, if you are running late due to traffic or other unforeseen circumstances, you still will be on time. If you don’t find close parking space, you can still walk and be on time. If your client is early, you can be there to greet them without having them wait for you – even if you arrive on time.
Use the same language
Always use one agreed language when working. If you are not sure which language is appropriate, ask your Team Lead. Don't forget to work on your language skills. We aim for our entire company to speak the same language for easy communication with clients and with colleagues abroad.
Read on: How To Improve Collaboration Between Developers And Testers.
Dress appropriately for your job
Wear something compatible with your job role. Smart casual is the best choice. Wear suitable clothes even when working remotely, so you can present a professional image if your boss or a client video-call you.
Find out what the expectations are
Ask your supervisor what the expectations for any outcome are. It will immediately make you stand out from 95% of the other employees. Mean what you say and follow through on your promises. Get to know the business goals and help achieve them.
Always be productive
Check your to-do list and timelines, and don’t wait for days on end to tackle less appealing tasks. Get your work done, then move on to the next task as quickly as possible.
Don’t spend too much time on personal phone calls
Work time is for work. Limit personal calls to urgent matters and emergencies.
Use the last 15-20 minutes of your working day
It's understandable to anticipate going home at the end of the workday, but people notice if you clock out prior to the end of the shift. One of the best uses of this time is to organize your workspace for tomorrow. Take a moment to put away loose papers, sweep, wipe down surfaces, and locate things you’ll need.
Behave professionally
Remember that we're a business, not a playground. People talk, and workers know the difference between a person who is fun to work with and a person who is always fooling around. Fun means a good personality, a joke or two, and a smile. Fooling around means wasting your time and that of others, such as being frequently off-task and often being seen standing in others' workspaces instead of in your own.
Stay sober
NEVER arrive to work drunk, smelling of alcohol, or under the influence of drugs and NEVER drink alcohol or abuse drugs at work.
Stay hygienic
Keep up good hand hygiene. This is the first line of defense in preventing infection. If you’re sick, stay at home so your co-workers don’t catch the bug too.
Be mindful of smells
Eat your lunch and snacks away from your desk if possible. Use the designated area in your office to have lunch - it's also an opportunity to socialize and to give your brain a rest.
Cultivate good relationships with the people in your organization
Treat all coworkers with courtesy, respect, and kindness, because they hold more power than you may realize and your reputation with them matters. Do not hang out with other employees who disrespect or talk down to others or who engage in gossiping. Don't make derogatory or sexist comments about a coworker's dress or appearance - your coworkers are people too, so treat them as you would like to be treated.
Offer junior employees guidance and encouragement
Show them the ropes or offer training tips. Remember how it felt to be a newbie and be the mentor you needed back then. If you are not sure whether someone understood something, be willing to ask if they need assistance. Don’t do the work for them - teach them instead. Be careful what you say to new employees; don’t air your grievances, frustrations, or interpersonal conflicts, and don’t gossip.
Maintain a clean job performance record
Do your job well, show up on time, and keep a good attendance history. When you learn that someone has been let go, you often find out later that there were underlying issues that had led to their dismissal – including frequent absences, missed deadlines, reprimands for unprofessional behavior, or too many customer complaints. A clean job performance can keep you safe in tough times.
Learn to take criticism gracefully
Constructive criticism will provide you with valuable ideas about what people expect from you, as well as give you specific examples and actionable suggestions for positive change. It identifies any weak areas and tells you what you need to work on. We all make mistakes, and we fail only if we don’t learn from them. If a boss or coworker criticizes you in a way that hurts or angers you, wait until you have calmed down. Then, ask whether you can have a chat. Tell them how they made you feel, but don’t forget to acknowledge the matter of the criticism and let them know that you want to fix the issue and are keen to learn how.
Learn to do your job and do it well
Whether it’s menial and tedious or tough and high paying, learn how to do the job. Promotions are usually based on your ability to do your job, loyalty to the company, your aptitude, and your educational background. If you don’t know how to do something or get stuck, be proactive - go and find out instead of making excuses for why you didn’t do it. You can pick your colleagues' brains or use online resources and the Knowledge Base. It is likely that you are not the first person to come across the issue and solutions may already be in place.
When you get the opportunity to learn – take it!
When you get the opportunity to learn a new skill or receive a training offer for a new activity or study course – free or paid by your employer – take it! Cross-training, new skill sets, and further education show that you are interested in personal growth and value life-long learning. If push comes to shove and people have to be let go, you stand a better chance of being retained than those whose skills are limited to one area of work.
Read on: Never Stop Learning - 6 Tips On Books From Our Developers.
Be a part of the solution
Avoid complaining about what’s wrong and start being vocal about what’s right! A positive attitude goes a long way with supervisors. When you go to your boss with a problem, have at least one suggestion for a solution in mind. Even if your boss doesn’t accept your suggestion, you will show them that you're a proactive problem-solver, not a complainer. Your boss has to leave private problems at home, and so do you. If you bring emotional baggage to work, your boss may see that you can’t balance work and private life and may not approach you when they ask employees for opinions on work-related group efforts.
Hold your head high and be confident
Calm and assured energy will take you much further than carrying yourself in a hunched up ball.
Volunteer or be active in projects to get the job done
Don’t worry about who gets credit – your boss knows much more than you think. Be a team player. Also, volunteering allows you to choose the part you will play. If you don’t choose, chances are it will be chosen for you. Either way, you’ll be responsible for your part, so be one of the first to step forward when you can.
Don’t drag your feet
We mean this in a literal way. Pick your feet up and walk proudly and get right to your work – don’t procrastinate or let things pile up to the deadline then jump in to get it done in a rush at the end. Mistakes are bound to happen that way, and quality of your work suffers. Do your best to gain a reputation for having your act together, even more so than most people.
Don't gossip, focus
Avoid spending too much time chatting and focus on your work instead. Remember, you're being paid to do your job, and while you do want to establish a good rapport with your co-workers and a little chatting is inevitable and even desirable, spending too long chatting instead of working will leave a bad impression. When one of you is talking a lot, two of you are not working a lot. Note: if your boss walks by and two of you are talking, it's no big deal, but make sure to wrap up the conversation so that the boss won’t see the same sight on their way back. The same goes for in a group - if your boss walks by, use this as your cue to return to your desk after a few seconds.
Acceptance is key
Remember that your boss is also following security policy. If something upsets you, try to understand your boss’ perspective without arguing. Don’t take it personally, and try to understand the bigger picture - you may realize that these things happen for a reason. Remember that policies are implemented for the good of the whole organization.
Be appreciative
Always say thank you whenever a boss or a co-worker does something for you as it will create a positive atmosphere and motivate them to do more to help. Give thanks when they give advice too, as it shows they are looking out for you. It can sometimes be easy to get defensive when given advice, but remember that they are trying to help.
At Rare Crew, we follow a comprehensive code of conduct in order to foster a welcoming and productive atmosphere for our employees and to put our company values into practice. And as a result, our teams benefit from the synergy, sharing of knowledge, and open-mindedness that make us Rare Crew.
If you want a hardworking, results-driven team behind your custom software, get in touch.
