Introduction
In compliance with Abacus’ mission statement, which emphasizes the importance of customer service, this Code of Conduct will instruct employees on the unacceptable forms of behavior. Because Abacus is transitioning from the manufacturing industry to a company oriented on customer service, employees are expected to maintain a high level of professionalism, performance, and responsible behavior at the workplace. However, according to Abacus’ belief in the positive discipline approach, the company also informs the employee about their rights, the company’s responsibility in improving problematic behavioral patterns, and the outcomes of such disciplinary actions.
Workplace Performance Expectations
Employees who work in customer relations have the responsibility for building a suitable image and a positive relationship with Abacus’ clients to improve referrals, customer acquisition rates, and customer retention rates. Employees who display lack of effort will be investigated and analyzed further by the human resources (HR) department to find the cause of their weak performance.
HR will investigate several factors, including employee skills, job satisfaction, and motivational circumstances to find the causes of ineffective employee performance. If the ineffective employee shows lack of skills, which include both technical know-how and communication skills, the company will be responsible for training the employee to improve workplace (Miller, 2010).
If several employees exhibit similar behavioral patterns, the company will aim to improve their workplace satisfaction and motivation by altering policies and management strategies to improve the workplace environment and improve performance. Deteriorating workplace performance may be the cause of substance abuse issues, such as alcoholism, and those issues will be treated in compliance with our alcohol and drug abuse prevention policies.
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Policies and Procedures
Substance addiction, which includes both drug dependencies and alcohol abuse, is considered a behavioral issue that interfered with the health and safety policies in the Abacus workplace. The use of drugs and alcohol will be a primary concern if the abuse reflects in the workplace behavior and affects the performance of our employees or the safety of other employees.
The primary method for conducting workplace drug abuse testing is behavioral impairment testing because it is less invasive than drug testing. The individual associated with substance abuse will be referred to appropriate experts for the purpose of facilitating the treatment. The company is obligated to maintain a confidential attitude, and each employee has the right to address the issue personally or seek help from the HR department.
Substance abuse is considered a serious mental health issue, so the company is allowed to take disciplinary action in cases when employees refuse to attend treatment in facilities they are referred to. All employees who suffer from substance abuse issues are required to accept the treatment provided at professional healthcare facilities or seek treatment independently. In the course of the treatment, the employees will retain their jobs as long as their treatment shows results in terms of behavioral recovery and functionality at the workplace within a reasonable period of time.
Employee Theft, Fraud, and Other Illegal Activities
Illegal activities include, but are not limited to, theft, fraud, subterfuge, property misuse or damage, and personal exploitation of company resources. All employees who are associated with any form of theft or illegal activities will be subject to a disciplinary interview and referred to a suitable employee assistance program. After receiving the professional assessment and diagnosis, the employees will be monitored to administer further rehabilitation if the employees’ criminal activity proves to be a mental issue. If the employee does not cooperate with the requirements laid out in this Code of Conduct, the company has the right to terminate the employee for the purpose of promoting workplace safety and the right to take legal action against the employee to compensate for the damage inflicted in the process.
Disciplinary Actions
All employees in Abacus will be treated in compliance with due process, which is required by public law, so all employees have the right to prove they can correct their behavior or we will be forced to terminate the employees who display troublesome behavior (Gibson, Cotterman, & Johnson, 2011). The first stage of all disciplinary actions is participating in the disciplinary interview. The employees have the right to express their viewpoints, opinions, and confide their issues with the HR department.
In the second stage, the HR is required to assess the behavior of the problematic employee and define the goals and strategies that will be used to correct the employee’s behavior. The employee’s privacy and rights will be respected, but the employee is obligated to participate in the treatment or education process defined as necessary by the HR department.
As the employee follows the rules and disciplinary goals prescribed by the HR department, the HR will periodically reevaluate goals and rules to help the employee correct behavior and retain the right to work at Abacus. If the employee does not show significant improvements and becomes unable to provide quality service to the company’s customers, Abacus has the right to terminate the employee. Besides improving internal processes and workplace relationships, it is expected that the positive discipline approach will also improve the image of Abacus among the public.
References
Gibson, J. W., Cotterman, S. P., & Johnson, R. E. (2011). Discipline: Still a four letter word? Journal of Business & Economics Research (JBER), 4(1), 5-8.
Miller, L. (2010). Managing problem employees: A model program and practical guide. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 12(4), 275-286.
