What does integrity mean to you? Integrity is the quality of exhibiting a strong moral standard. Integrity and trust are the foundation of a successful organization, as is true loyalty.
Here are some examples of integrity in action to see this important character trait of employees and colleagues.
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What Is Integrity?
An honest person demonstrates sound moral principles and does what is right, regardless of who is watching.
Integrity can be the foundation in which colleagues can build good relationships and trust, which is one of the most important virtues employers want in their employees.
Read also: If You Saw a Coworker Stealing, What Would You Do?
Integrity means being aware of one’s responsibilities and being honest about one’s actions.
A person of integrity can be trusted with colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
What Does Integrity Mean To You – How Does It Work?
People who have integrity attract others because they are honest and trustworthy. As employees, they have values , and you can count on them to behave with dignity.
Some examples of how you can show different aspects of integrity in the workplace are explained below.
Honesty
Peter, a software developer, is trying to improve some software processes but continues to get into trouble because of his code.
He could have gone ahead with his little code to try to save his career and good name; instead, he humbly chose to go to his team.
He explained the dead conclusions he had entered and explained that he thought that moving forward could create problems under the product line, hindering the development of advanced software features.
The team discussed the issue and worked on a solution. Peter discarded all of his code and started from the beginning with the group entry.
Because of his reliability, his new solution gave the team the ability to easily expand product capabilities in the future.
Read also: 10 Ways To Fight Attraction In The Workplace.
Sense Of Duty
Grace missed the deadline for something important for her team. Instead of throwing members of her team under the bus, although not delivering as she had promised, she committed herself to a deadline.
She solved the problems with her team and put in place defenses that would make them do well again.
Team members saw their contribution to the failure, but because Grace had a sense of duty as a team leader, that made her team learn from their mistakes.
Responsibility
Sasha was responsible for producing a once-a-week report that was used on Friday by two other departments to plan workflow.
Knowing that she was planning to take a vacation soon, Sasha assured them that the report would be released as needed in her absence.
She taught another employee how to create a report. In addition, she outlined appropriate procedures for a coworker in her absence.
Sasha supervised a two-week training course so that her successor would have the opportunity to do real work.
Finally, she contacted two other departments to let them know that a new person would be writing their report while she was away, in case her coworker needed help.
Employees have the opportunity to demonstrate their integrity or lack of it on a daily basis, by their actions toward each other, by management, and by customers or clients. If you do not hire the right people, dishonesty will be evident in their conduct.
Read also: How To Deal With Workplace Harassment – Solved.
Benefits Of Integrity (workplace)
Employees made up of honest people with integrity are where you can trust to get the best. They do not compromise their views, do not cheat, or lie. They behave in accordance with their moral standard and values.
It Moves For Better Leaders
Companies that keep their executives up to a high standard of ethics promote ethical and strong leadership.
Leaders that show integrity take responsibility for their words, actions, and decisions. This influence the values of the company, the culture, and the morals.
They value their customers, set good examples for their team, and do so with good intentions rather than selfish motives.
Enables A Transparent Working Atmosphere
Integrity is valued by any strong organization and is seen as a way of promoting an open and transparent work environment.
When employees know that their company is operating based on solid values, they feel free to share ideas, communicate with their team, and be themselves.
It Promotes Ethical Decision-Making
From stakeholder protection to product development, supporting a strong work ethic helps team members make informed, considerate decisions.
Read also: Understanding Different Types of Workplace Teams
It Promotes Diversity, Equality, And Inclusion
Companies that promote the importance of loyalty to having a diverse team. They embrace different perspectives, celebrate diversity, and strive for equality in the workplace.
Promotes Strong And Resilient Teams
Teams are strong and durable when they have a set of good moral standards as a guide. They also feel a sense of purpose in the workplace, affecting their behavior, productivity, and participation.
Builds And Maintains Trust
Honesty and integrity are fundamental pillars of trust. As businesses strive to retain customers and employees, their loyalty is a driving force behind their stay.
Integrity in business can strengthen relationships with sellers and customers because they can trust you to keep your promises and act more respectfully if something goes wrong. Corruption, which can create scandals and tarnish a company’s image, is incompatible with integrity.
Regularly discussing problems with your employees gives you the opportunity to learn what your expectations are. It also helps to develop a culture of honesty in the workplace.
Integrity At Work Means:
- Honest and trustworthy.
- They are reliable, especially with classified information and high-risk activities
- Practice and encourage open communication with colleagues and management
- You are honest, respectful, patient, and honest with your managers, customers, and colleagues.
- Having a strong work ethic helps you to produce good quality work consistently
- You are responsible for your actions, especially if you make a mistake
- Make sound decisions, even under the most trying circumstances
- They are equipped to provide the highest quality service to your customers
Conclusion
So to answer the question: What Does Integrity Mean to You? Integrity is the quality of having a strong moral or ethical standard and always following it, no matter who is watching. Integrity instills honesty and truth in a person.
Integrity is an important virtue and skill for an employee because it shows that employees will do their best and act accordingly.