An honest coupled with ethical behavior within the workplace is very essential for a successful government agency.  Building an honest and ethical relationship remains the responsibility of every employee, from top management going down. There are significant reminders to consider;

Set a good example. Hold yourself to a high moral and ethical standard to help provide employees with a solid example of what you expect from everyone in the company. Include expectations related to honesty in the government mission and vision. Stress the importance of honesty in all communication.

Promote open and honest communication. Communication represents a key factor in keeping a workplace free from rumors, negativity and dishonesty. Allow employees to voice concerns, offer ideas and seek counsel without the fear of punishment or a defensive reaction. Encourage management to operate on an open door policy. Schedule time specifically each day, or week, to speak with employees and begin to identify any common problems. This not only provides management with a way to feel out the overall mood of the office, but also helps to bring dishonest behavior to light more quickly.

Address mistakes as soon as possible. Employees do make honest mistakes from time to time. Ask employees to make necessary parties aware of mistakes as soon as possible without the fear of negative consequences. This will encourage employees to continue the theme of honesty and allow them to make mistakes right without perpetuating dishonest behavior.

Seek solution for negative or unethical behavior. Weed out the rotten apples and the employees that continually seek to undermine the company culture of honesty and integrity. Establish a system for penalties, such as termination, for those employees who continually display dishonest behavior.

Reward employees who demonstrate honesty. Consider various options, such as additional paid time off, gift cards or awards of recognition, including plaques and certificates

However, sincerity of feeling, intent and presentation touches the hearts of everyone. But what exactly defines sincerity? And how do you achieve it? No other formula exists for sincerity than to be sincere by being genuine, having faith and trust in yourself, and just being rather than trying to project something that you are not.

Act the same way alone as you do when in the presence of others.This is the real you and this is the person that people will warm to and trust.

Do things out of the goodness of your heart; don’t seek a reward or do things to acquire things from people. When you give without expecting the boomerang effect to occur, the giving becomes an act of sincerity and an expression of your genuine concern for and interest in others.

           Understand that sincerity comes from the heart.Whatever you do or say, it is vital to mean to do or say it and to back it up with your beliefs.

Don’t do it or say it, unless you believe it from your heart.If you are placed in a situation that requires you to offer compliments or to express your opinions and tastes but you feel hampered by “white lies”, there is an easy solution to this. Only choose the truths.

Realize that sincerity can expose you.Opening up to others about your feelings, motives and aspirations can cause some people to react in insincere ways and to try and drag you down.

Usepositiveaffirmations.Always seek the good in you, in others, in situations. Try to place yourself in the other person’s shoes to see where they are coming from. When negative connotations arise, use your positive affirmations to override the negatives and to try to find the silver lining in any situation. Sincerity thrives on effort to think the right way.

Don’t over-polish things.Sincerity is about immediacy, spontaneity, spur-of-the moment responses that well up from your genuine self.

Be hospitable and lack material neediness.Sincerity is advanced when you are open to having others in your life and when you do not feel a need to compare yourself with what others have and what you do not.

REFERENCE:

Wordu, Chichuhiegem, C.R. Influence of Learning Environment in Building Better Relationship  in the Workplace. (JATTAVE) Vol. 2, No. 1. 2014.

By: Edwin Riel Bermillo |Education Program Specialist-II | SDO-Bataan