Work Ethics: Work from home and ethics

The pandemic has pushed us all to adopt this beautiful yet hectic concept of WORK FROM HOME. Every company, no matter how big or small, has moved its operations online and its employees home. I bet this was your dream, huh? Sitting at home comfortably in your PJs eating pizza while working. But that is not the case for many. As it stands, I have spoken to a lot of my friends and family and about their experiences in the WFH model. And many have voted ‘NADA’ on the concept. But why? 

Even though work from home is an enticing concept, many people said that the company morale has taken a hit. Now, the main culprit for this is the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses have been down, so is the economy. Everyone is understandably frustrated with the current scenario.

Many companies, as I understand, have been overworking their employees to the ground. Not even exaggerating!! Management and owners have been mowing down on employees, expecting over-time or just generally projecting their frustration over to them. That, my friend, is wrong. Your behavior is equally important as a good work environment. People don’t leave organizations, they leave leaders.

Well, looking at this objectively, even they are frustrated yes. But if you are in a leadership position and you are SERIOUSLY trying to be a good leader, you cannot afford to let your emotions cloud your behavior. Your employees are the ones keeping your company afloat. And it is imperative to keep them engaged and happy. There are no two ways about it (Company owners, take note).  Ask yourself this, would people respect you if you project your personal feelings on them? That is a big NO! Will they stay with you or move over to some company with a better work environment? Hell yes! If you, as a leader, are composed, your employees will feel at ease and work harder for you! That is a win-win right? You save your rep and company, hurray!

So I went through many sites where leaders have talked about some basic work ethics that should be maintained in an office environment. (Yes, home office counts, duh!) I’ll keep it short and sweet, leaders. So take note.

Have clear goals and realistic objectives: If you as a leader are lost on the objectives of a task, how can the employee perform? Can a team win if the coach himself is confused? NO. Company management should clarify the goals for your employees. Also, set realistic goals. Don’t expect them to magically give you results. Have patience with your people. 

Set a good example: If you lack ethics and results, your employees will copy the same thing. Don’t set benchmarks for your employees when you cannot show the results from your own side. Practice what you preach is a good thing to remember. 

Be professional and disciplined: Professionalism starts with trust, conduct, loyalty, discipline, and hunger for excellence. Employees that are equipped with such work ethics become more sincere towards their jobs. As managers, be respectful of your employees. Be honest and have integrity. That means always keep your word and be transparent with your employees.

Understand your employees’ needs and be a proper mentor: Need a motivated workplace? Acknowledge your employees. It is not that hard. They are your people, not slaves. If you acknowledge their needs, they will show a high level of engagement and commitment. They will be motivated to work harder for you and your organization. And once this happens, you should focus on proper mentoring. Don’t demotivate them by placing blame on them and demotivating them. You are their teacher. You are the leader. Constructive criticism should be the way to go, not BLAME GAME.

Show appreciation and fuel their spirits: Humans have an intrinsic need to thrive for appreciation. They are emotional beings, not robots. You have to keep their mental and emotional well-being in mind. A happy person is a good worker. As I said before people don’t leave organizations, they leave leaders. If employees feel valued, they will stay with you. It is your responsibility to uplift and energize them and make them feel valued and appreciated.

So that is it, folks! I definitely learned some good pointers about being a leader. I hope you did too! Stay home, stay safe, and let’s make work from home a good deal for everyone!