Work with Integrity
With full enthusiasm, excited for the great day ahead and for the next day, I faced the fact that I, together with my thousands co-workers, almost lost my job when one of the newer hires stole from our client millions of money. Our ever supportive and generous boss was so devastated by the news and the firm trust towards us wavered. Our perfect reputation that we are proud of can’t be redeemed. It’s already tarnished and we need to work nth times just to recover our name. Whatever good we did for the past years became nothing because of this recent single mistake. This is the harsh reality that made me remember that integrity should always be practiced whenever and wherever you are.
Integrity, what is it really?
Integrity is to choose the right thing all the time. To have integrity means to hold on your values and principles. It is to exhibit honesty, trustworthiness, and dependability. It is to be true with yourself and to keep your own words. Nowadays, it is so easy to ignore this when everyone do everything just to achieve success. Why bother when the end can justify the means, right? But whatever the case is, you should not work like this. You act properly even no one is looking. You do what you promise. You follow the rules. If you have integrity, you can keep your character and stand in your life at any cause.
Why is it important?
Personally, you don’t have anything to be guilty about if you have integrity. Life will be so simple since you don’t have to worry about things if you keep your principles. In terms of health, it can give positivism and how easy it for you to be happy. On the professional side, integrity guarantees your position in the market. During my final interview for my first job, the interviewer asked me what integrity is and how it should be exemplified. This showed how important integrity is in real life. Employers look for people with integrity. As the integrity of the workers ensures the integrity of the company, they hire people who can contribute to its good reputation. Look on what happened to us, only one person did the crime here, but the name of our company is also broken. It’s a ripple effect. At the end integrity certifies your success in life, personally and professionally.
How to preserve your integrity at work?
A person with integrity doesn’t only know the right but practices it also at any moment. To work with integrity entails the following characteristics as you perform your job.
Professionalism
Do what you should do on time. Do your job efficiently. Show your boss that you’re really working. Avoid going to short break frequently. Own your actions.It is common to dislike one’s job, and when you experience this, you still need to keep with your performance. Drop your work if you really can’t tolerate, but never compromise your work while you’re still on it. Show on time. Don’t call in sick if you just don’t want to go to work. Internalize your job description.
Confidentiality
This is so crucial to any business. Employees are asked to sign confidentiality agreement at the start of any work and you have to keep them. Your customers rely on how good you can keep the information they will give to you. Confidentiality is profit. It is a necessity. Make sure that you know how to keep information confidential outside, especially the processes of your company. Know what you can and cannot share to your family and friends. Remember that you always carry your company’s name, whether you’re working or on your rest day, and your company depends on you to protect its privacy and intellectual properties.
Obedience
Following company policies is an integral part of executing your integrity. Even this simple step is often neglected by employees. Abiding to dress code, wearing of ID’s, reporting on time are just some of small rules that we commonly disobey. How can a company trust you if you can’t show them that you can’t comply with their regulations?
It doesn’t mean that you should just say yes to them if it’s wrong. Feedback is encouraged in a healthy working place, and if you observe something a bit off, raise it with your supervisor in humble manner and let your voice be heard.
Values
Your ethics at work dictates what you do. Just simply do the right thing. Make sure that there’s no room to question your person. Be responsible with your own behaviour. Never use your company’s name in your own personal matter. This is where most can get caught. It will help you to maintain your work ethics if you define your own set of values you believe in. It makes you well-grounded, consequently, you’ll be more firm and steady.
Healthy Working Environment
Finally, as you work with integrity, you have to contribute in building a workplace of trust and honesty. When there’s openness between employers and employees, trust should also exist between co-employees. It develops effective environment for everyone. You’re under one company, so you have to work as one to its success. Respect your co-workers and their ideas. Lead by example, but don’t feel righteous. If you demonstrate integrity, you’ll encourage others to practice them too. Find your buddies that you’re comfortable with to be around all the time. On the other note, you must still know how to properly interact with everyone. Have some polite conversations and small interactions if time permits.Integrity is essential in our daily living. It presents your characteristics to the others. Seriously, you’ll be judge if you’re a person with integrity or not, so it’s important for you to hold on it whatever happens, especially, integrity determines your failure or success in life, personally and professionally.
