The goodness of a company is measured through its culture, beliefs, norms, and values. A business’s code of conduct and informal rules guide its operation and establish its personality, making it distinct from other companies in the industry.
According to research, an ethical workplace culture minimizes workplace misconduct and risk profiles. It helps companies increase employee performance and reduce ethical failures. Workplace culture is used to show the values and traits a business wants to be associated with. This means that workplace culture differs between companies.
Here are some pointers when measuring the goodness of a company.
Table of Contents
What to Measure
The Work Environment
The first thing to consider when measuring the goodness of a company is the perceived features of the work environment. For instance, consider what counts as unethical behavior, how workplace conflict is resolved, workplace decision-making, channels of emotional support and psychological safety, how to handle workplace politics, and how to provide organizational justice.
The Employees
Another important factor to consider in measuring the goodness of a company is the values and traits of the employees. Consider their level of trustworthiness and the moral identity they align with. This helps you understand how their presence in the company adds to making the workplace good.
In addition, you need to consider the standards established by the employer and whether the employees adhere to them. This means you need to observe employee actions and the results of their actions to check compliance with the set ethical standards.
The Firm’s Reputation
Also, consider the company’s reputation in the eyes of outsiders. Read customer reviews and ask relevant stakeholders, like the community, about their view of the company. For instance, if the company is perceived as harming the environment or society, consider such aspects when measuring its goodness.
How to Measure
Direct Measurement Tools
This is one of the available methods of assessing the what-to-measure points above. This option requires you to assume that the respondents involved in your research are honest. Use survey questionnaires, structured interviews, free-response questions, and formal exit interviews to gather adequate data about a company to help you measure its goodness.
Indirect Measurement Tools
These techniques include the use of simulations, behavioral games, and implicit measures like association tests to gather data that can help you measure a company’s goodness.
Objective data
This option doesn’t require the participation of employees. Instead, it requires you to use earnings restatements for comparison with peers within the industry, ratings on rating sites like Glassdoor, and text analysis like using internal emails. These avenues can provide you with unbiased data about the company to help you measure its goodness effectively.
Conclusion
Shaping your company’s ethical culture allows you to gain control over the values that guide your business practices. However, promoting an ethical culture requires time, commitment, and continuous examination. This help promotes a conducive and healthy work environment that improves your company’s bottom line. When measuring the goodness of a company, consider values like honesty, trustworthiness, integrity, and more by tailoring a measurement technique that’s most effective for the company.
