Code of Ethics for Government Officials and Employees

* Be open and honest, act with integrity and uphold the reputation of their profession

Those thought to be ethical or moral are described in terms of their values in regards to honesty, integrity and good character. Our ethical conduct originates from our values which are greatly influenced by our morals; they provide guidance and are our standard for the ways in which we carry out and view right and wrong decisions. For these reasons, personal ethics are said to be our foundation and, as such, often influence how we administer ethical codes of conduct in our personal lives, and the ways in which we carry out our organizational duties. The normative foundations of public service ethics are those standards used to justify and defend one’s conduct, i.e. reasoning about obligations, consequences and ultimate ends in specific situations. In addition to personal codes of conduct, leadership in the public sector requires the ability to apply ethical reasoning based on formal controls and technical standards.

8. All employees will faithfully discharge their time and energies with integrity through proper work ethics and in harmony with those within, and without, the organization.

The roll of ethics in public administration is based on the administration; administrators should be value-free when they implement public policy. I will discuss why ethics should be based on the administration and, why it should not be based on each individual worker in the administration. I will discuss Weber’s stance on values in bureaucratic organizations, what Macintyre suggests, and what Hummel and Goodsell would conclude about values in public administration. Most people do not understand what an administration deals with everyday on an individual basis. They might think that an administration is supposed to make the best ethical choices, but that is not the case. People who are outside the administration might think that administrators are supposed to use everyday values when implementing policy, but that is also not the case.

We as business owners, management and or in a role of authority must set, address and comply with a solid foundation of ethics. “A code of conduct is the single most important element of your ethics and compliance program. It sets the tone and direction for the entire function. Often, the code is a standalone document, ideally only a few pages in length. It introduces the concept of ethics and compliance and provides an overview of what you mean when you talk about ethical business conduct.”

Ethical code guidance initiates with one’s individual standards, views, and integrity. I must live our lives balanced with what I’ve been shown to be correct. The Principles are the ideologies of what I consider to be ethical or unethical that are revealed through my decisions, actions and interpretations of what is right or wrong. The Florida Code of Ethics involves one’s values and beliefs to indicate a set of policies that standardize the bearing of entities or groups of people (FLDOE, 2005).

a. Public service culture is a human need. Unfortunately, these days that means where the money is, employees will go. People use to be satisfied with helping the public, but now without appropriate compensation it is hard to keep some employees. Healy’s assumptions are that people will do no wrong and what is best for their community, I think, but I do not agree that is always true. People, especially in the political world, usually have ulterior motives if they are not going to

A code of conduct and a statement of formal statements describe and explain what an organization expects from its employees and a code of ethics generally consists of statements that serve as principles and basis for rules of conduct. Leaders and managers must be role models for organizational success. If employees see leaders and management demonstrating the organizational values then it adds to the commitment and credibility of leadership and reinforces the importance of the organization’s values which leads to employees who are more engaged and committed to the organization. Also turnover among employees tends to be lower and productivity tends to be high. On the other hand, if leadership demonstrates behavior that is inconsistent with the code of conduct then a negative message is sent to the employees. Therefore, employees may disengage and compromise company standards as seen in the

Code of conduct is a rule set by an organisational body for specific issues that become a standard practice for all who works in the organisation or represent themselves outside of the organisation, (Marinda, 2011). Code of conducts is devised by a legal framework that prevents contradictions and builds trust between workers, patients and visitors in all. However all the codes are very important and must be followed e.g., ethical principles, and legislations.

Cronkhite’s (2013, p. 298) principles of public service ethics, which includes “public service, objective judgement, accountability, democratic leadership, and responsibility,” are well covered in this statement. This statement was well researched and any agency looking to develop one or wanting change should contact them.

Pfiffner, J. P. (1999). The public service ethic in the new public personnel systems. Public

Accountability is what establishes public trust. Public administrators should expect to be held accountable for what they say and what they do. Serving the public means being transparent, not keeping secrets. Citizens expect that public administrators and organizations are working on their behalf. They expect that the employees and the organization are providing programs, products and services that are in the best interest of the communities and the individuals that the organization supports. Ethics serve as the bridge for accountability between the administration and the public. Ethical practices create an environment of trust. The trust that the public places in these organizations is the cornerstone for the building and maintaining of communities that thrive. It’s important to note that organizations are only as good as the people that are in them. The people that are in them look to their leadership as a guide for what they do and how they do it. Leaders that exhibit moral conduct, honesty, integrity and transparency will set the foundation for the organization and the employees within it and these values will even penetrate throughout the citizenry and the community. (IACP, n.d.) This will have a direct impact on potential issues, hopefully minimizing

The code of ethics and conduct is a written set of rules and regulations that provides guidance to employees of an organization on how to conduct themselves and carry out their duties in line with the organization’s principles. The code of ethics and conduct is also be backed up by suitable disciplinary actions. A code of ethics and conducts helps employees deal with ethical issues and other gray areas that they face as they execute their daily activities. An effective code of ethics and conduct is required for an organization to run smoothly and maintain a positive image. Having an ineffective code of ethics and conduct is almost like having none.

It is one thing to establish a code of ethical conduct for an organization in the public sector, but it is quite another to really impress upon all employees the importance of living up to that code of conduct. What makes a code of conduct and how can management be assured that all employees understand the code and follow it's values and guidelines? How do not-for-profit professions stack up against for-profit professionals when it comes to ethics? This paper delves into codes of conduct in the public and sector and provides a review of several scholarly articles that present specific instances where codes of conduct are part of the workplace culture.

Codes of conduct are policies including rules such as maintaining honesty, attitude, and respect (Traveler, 2009) for co-workers, the organization and customers. Only by separation of personal ethical choices in the work place, will an organization succeed and flourish. It is never appropriate for any employee, management or otherwise, to conduct business for personal gain. The people who become harmed lose trust, confidence, and the expectation of themselves and of the people who chose to put their personal ethical choice before the needs of the customer and business.