1.04 Understand and follow company rules and regulations to maintain employment.

a. Discuss information commonly found in an organization’s rules of conduct. A code of conduct is a set of rules or a protocol that explains how people should conduct themselves. A code of conduct often consists of things to do in certain situations and requires certain behaviors. A code of conduct can include any responsibilities or practices that the organization feels necessary for its mission. Codes of conduct can also include commands for behavior, such as the code of conduct for the software maker Ubuntu, which includes "Be considerate" and "Be respectful" as part of its code. A code of conduct is a company's voluntary belief in a set of morals, standards and proper behavior for its operations, enforced by the business's leaders. Codes of conduct usually fall in line with laws and general social mores against corruption.

b. Describe the relationship among ethics, respect, and rules of conduct. Ethics – refers to standards of moral conduct that individuals and groups set for themselves, defining what behavior they value as right or wrong. Respect - esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability (dictionary.com) A code of conduct can also act as a way of presenting an organization's or company's philosophy or ethical approach to the world; for example, an objective or obligation that the organization pursues in its activities.

c. Discuss individual and organizational benefits of following rules of conduct. Codes of conduct are beneficial to ensure that businesses have covered all the bases by making the behavioral expectations known, both internally and externally. A code of conduct benefits the business itself, all members of a business, their clients and usually society as a whole… A company with a higher ethical standard tends to have a better public perception, and employees may be more likely to follow management's ethical guidelines themselves. To see the benefits of a code of conduct, management must ensure employees follow company ethical standards. Ensuring the rest of a company follows a code of conduct starts from the top.

d. Explain possible consequences for violating rules of conduct. Violation of such codes indicates that an employee's behavior is not consistent with what the company's expectations are, and can result in consequences. Being charged with violating ethical codes of conduct can result in different types of consequences that vary in severity, depending on the type of violation. Violation consequences may range from an employee getting written up to termination. Some types of violations are simply not tolerated by businesses, such as embezzlement.

Student Activity: e. Demonstrate techniques to follow rules of conduct. Students should work individually or in small groups to obtain and review rules of conduct from local businesses. (These rules of conduct may be written or unwritten.) After doing so, each student or group should develop an informative brochure about the chosen business’s rules of conduct for new employees. The brochure should contain a summary of the rules of conduct, individual and organizational benefits of obeying these rules, consequences of violations, and tips/suggestions for following the rules on a consistent basis. Suggestions: Student Handbook School District website Your employment place Test next class ;-)