Whether it’s the holidays, a birthday, an anniversary, or a retirement, there is often a reason to bring the tradition of gift giving into the office. With these special occasions also comes a slew of concerns. Employees or employers may find that they ask themselves questions concerning the nature of the gift, the message it may send, or what is a reasonable amount to send. While every office is different, asking your self these questions before purchasing a gift will help to ensure your gift is appropriate.

1. Does your office have a gift giving policy? – Many offices have established a policy informing employees how they should handle gift giving. Reading up on your employee handbook or speaking to the Human Resources department in your office is a good way to find out if gift giving is accepted and if it is, what guidelines the company follows. Rules can be as strict as outlawing gift giving all together or they can simply set precautionary rules about what and how gifts can be given.
2. Is your gift appropriate for the office? – It’s not unusual to form bonds with your co workers, but when giving gifts, you will want to steer clear ones that may be to personal and inappropriate. For example, while you and a coworker may feel a particular gag gift is very amusing, you run the risk of insulting the recipient or making other individuals in the office uncomfortable. If you find that your gift prompts you to ask “Is this out of line,” consider searching for something a little less taboo.
3. Will your gift violate any dietary, spiritual, or personal rules the recipient must follow? – While everyone enjoys a basket full of gourmet goodies, not everyone can indulge in the gift. If your boss is on a special diet, the last thing you want to do is give a gift that they can’t enjoy. The same is true when giving wine or spirits. Unless you’re positive your co-worker is a die-hard red wine lover, steer clear of alcoholic gifts. Therefore when giving gifts that consist of food or beverages make it a point to take any diet, heath, religious, or personal restrictions into consideration
4. Can your gift be construed as a bribe or attempt to further your position with the company? – When giving gifts to senior staff members it’s important to keep in mind that it is possible your gift can be seen as a bribe. It is suggested that if you are close to a promotion or if there is a possibility of advancement in your near future, that you steer clear of giving elaborate or unnecessary gifts. Unfortunately, even with the best of intentions you run the risk appearing as though you are “buying your way to the top.”
5. How much should I spend? – Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to set a price limit for gifts. This is particularly true for gift giving reasons other than holidays (Offices that practice gift giving during the holidays often set price limits). As a general rule, individual gifts should rarely exceed thirty-five to forty dollars. If you are interested in purchasing a gift that is more than fifty dollars, consider asking co-workers if they are interested in giving a gift as a group. This will save you money and it can limit any questions about your intentions when giving an expensive gift.

The Fruit Company offers fruit harvested right from the orchards, reserving only the freshest fruit for your gifts. The Fruit Company offers a selection of fruit baskets, gift towers, gourmet gift baskets, premium fruit gifts, and our monthly fruit clubs. Visit them here

Article Source

Tags: ethics, guide, guidelines, study

How do you minimize some of your exposure to charges of “”unfair treatment”"? Begin by objectively positioning each and every job, using a comprehensive position description.

A solid, up-to-date description is essential for all positions. It is critical that each and every job description be clearly and objectively written so that all parties understand. Also, so no one can justify major differences of opinion or make accusations that you have treated people differently. You will be measuring specific items, and everyone will be measured the same way.

The major elements of any position description should include these items:

* reports to
* primary duties and responsibilities
* success behaviors and attitudes
* soft-skill competencies
* performance measurements
* experience, education and special considerations

Each of these factors measure success in the job. Make sure that all employees are measured against these expectations–irrespective of race, gender, etc….

Managers should began to outline the primary duties and responsibilities for their areas of responsibility, that’s the easy part.Then a manager could have a rough outline of “”what”" each job entails. An example: “”Sell to existing clients. Develop new relationships.”"

A sometimes a difficult part of the process can be in outlining specific behaviors, attitudes and soft-skill competencies for each position. Each participant should be asked to complete an objective questionnaire that measures these critical factors. Once everyone sees the results of the input, it can be easy to add the “”how”" factors to the job descriptions, along with the underlying, measurable attitudes/ values that would enhance success. Managers will be able to prioritize and add several soft-skill competencies to the descriptions.

Through this process, managers may discover their relief, that they could objectively measure success in every job. They will now have methods for measuring each one of the identified success factors against the same standard.

Performance measurements may be equally difficult to develop. Some may have never considered adding this element to a position description. Management may end up in agreement on several specific, measurable performance objectives. Here is one example: “”Achieves or exceeds all daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual sales objectives within an assigned sales territory.”"

With the toughest part of the work done, the next step is to define the specific types of experiences and education each position requires. Managers may discovered that if they have some general requirements for experience and education, they would actually broaden the base of possible candidates and could begin to think about including a wider variety of candidates for the job.

Make the final element “”Special Considerations.”" For some jobs, this can be simple: “”Ability to travel as needed.”" Sometimes managers hire salespeople who can not or will not travel.

To avoid this,give each person in a sales position a clear understanding of the jobs requirements. Better-qualified employees can be hired; performance ratings are up; employee discipline is down. Everyone is being measured against the same standard.

Risky business? Some managers may not think so. By doing this, a manager can minimized the risk to their business. Then they will be measuring all aspects of a persons performance fairly and consistently against specific, measurable expectations.

Clerical Business Solutions is a Virtual Assistant Service & Business Consultant, it’s owned & operated by Renee Cloud. Clerical Business Solutions is available to handle a variety of services to help your business or personal needs. Services are available in administrative office support, business management, secretarial services, personal life management,typing, resume / c v service, outsourcing/ overflow work, data entry, email management, business start-up and much more. Contact Renee here now

Article Source

Tags: ethics, guidelines, business, code, conduct

We often hear a lot about the need for Transparency in business; to protect consumers, shareholders and to insure that the companies are following the rules and regulations. Unfortunately, what we do not hear much about is the flip-side to that coin; transparency is a double edged sword. Let me explain.

You see, too much transparency is a Real Problem because each business has methods that give them advantages, if there is too much transparency then the competition gets this important information without earning them. This is bad because it allows those who try new things and learn the hard way to be instantly copied while the same school-of-hard-knocks were not endured.

Too much transparency gives intellectual property to competitors. Often government agencies demanding transparency actually harm the market place and help competitors steal insightful information, while they create barriers to entry with such incessant over regulatory demands. Thus, the government agencies are in a way in cahoots with competition and work at un-leveling the playing field often for off-shore or foreign competition.

This forces American Companies to lose profits, hurting shareholders and causes good jobs to leave. Perhaps this is why you have a low-paying job a retail box store instead of something better, although everyone has to and actually should start behind the counter or on the floor. Read Ray Kroc’s book; Grinding it Out.

Meanwhile on ethics read; Warren Buffet’s Essays, because he discusses the importance of transparency and ethics also. Beware those who demand transparency to help the consumer, shareholder or ethical business practices, because the flip-side is over disclosure and transparency hurts the very people the regulators claim to be protecting. Transparency must be dealt with in a serious manner with all the issues addressed.

“Lance Winslow” – Online ThinkTank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Article Source

Tags: ethics, guidelines, business, code, research

A person who informs on someone engaged in an illicit activity is considered as a whistle blower. The concept of whistle blowing can be found in visible situations as well as unnoticed ones. Their job is to report a violation of law, rule, regulation and/or a direct threat to public interest, such as fraud, health/safety violations, corruption, and plenty of others. These whistle blowers are not always in favorable situations, and things could be worst if they are not supported by the managers. People are criticized and disliked for it, which makes it a tough job.

Whistle blowing is present in positive as well as in discouraging situations. In an organization when an employee seeks to claim, revealing of inappropriate act and bringing it in front of their managers, could be taken as whistle blowing in positive conditions. But in a situation where an employee leek out information to the general public or to the competitors, this act can be taken as negative whistle blowing in terms of the company.

When a person usually blows the whistle, it’s normally not a direct attack towards a person, rather it is simply that the illegal or unethical actions of that person to be stopped. All the employees are suppose to work as a team and no body would like to be seen as the person who turns their back on them. The person has to make a very strict and uncompromising choice to make, keeping in consideration that the loyalty to their fellow colleagues as well as towards the company.
I personally favor the whistle blowers as it is one act which could help save a thousand.

People usually consider it as “back biting” or “tattle-tale-ing”, however that is how plenty of jobs, our environment, the reputation of the company, or in some cases even lives. They don’t realize that it is ethically and morally, actually their job towards the company, people and money. For example if someone is stealing from the company and the action not accounted could result in a loss of money to the company, and further proceeding could even result in removal of jobs. Whistle blowing has many positive effects, and if carefully considered it can lead to the end of unethical practices in business. It is a method of informing the concerned authorities before it’s too late and lead to a disaster. Whistle blowing can be negative to some, but it is a needed action for today. A controversial factor could be that it makes people decide between right and wrong. And the easy way would be to stay out of it and let someone else take notice, but the right way would be to go forward and stop it.

Faraz Ali

Article Source

Faraz Ali – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: guidelines, ethics, code, work, conduct

Each of us is ultimately responsible for our own actions. Although in today’s business world, I imagine many skeptics would take exception to that statement because there is evidence that people are not held accountable for their actions, even when they are unethical. And even more disturbing, some are even rewarded for unethical actions. Each of us makes a choice to act ethically or to act unethically.

It is essential that we know what is ethical and what is unethical. But, more challenging and difficult than knowing what is ethical, is knowing what is right and then doing what is right. Always doing the right thing is required for long-term success in your business and personal lives. So what advice and guidance are available to check if the action is right before implementing a decision to act? Well, your strategic thinking business coach has a set of questions to provide guidance to you for ethical decisions and actions.

My advice as a strategic thinking business coach is to ask the following ten (10) questions about any action and idea you are contemplating. And if you cannot answer yes to any of these questions, then you must develop an alternate strategy or seek advice and counsel from others.

+ Is the idea or action congruent with your core values and guiding principles of your business life and personal life?

+ Is the idea or action legal?

+ Will the idea or action be fair to all concerned?

+ Will the idea or action pass the Golden Rule test (Do Unto Others Test)?

+ Would the idea or action stand up to a critical public review if brought out into the open?

+ Will the benefits of the idea or action exceed the costs?

+ Does the idea or action comply with your company or organization’s rules and regulations?

+ Will you feel comfortable and without any feelings of guilt if you follow through on the idea or action?

+ Does the idea or action meet stated goals and objectives?

+ Would the most ethical person I know follow through on the idea or action?

These are very practical and useful questions to test your ideas and actions. You may develop other questions and add them to the list. If you use these questions to test your ideas and actions and remember that acting ethically is a requirement in everything you do, you will greatly increase your potential to be very ethical and successful.

If you would like to learn more about the importance of business ethics in your business and how to foster an environment of ethical behavior, please visit Glenn Ebersole today through his website

Glenn Ebersole, Jr. is a multi-faceted professional, who is recognized as a visionary, guide and facilitator in the fields of business coaching, marketing, public relations, management, strategic planning and engineering. Glenn is the Founder and Chief Executive of two Lancaster, PA based consulting practices: The Renaissance Group, a creative marketing, public relations, strategic planning and business development consulting firm and J. G. Ebersole Associates, an independent professional engineering, marketing, and management consulting firm. He is a Certified Facilitator and serves as a business coach and a strategic planning facilitator and consultant to a diverse list of clients. Glenn is also the author of a monthly newsletter, “Glenn’s Guiding Lines – Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach” and has published more than 250 articles on business.

To find out more about the benefits & rewards of effectively working with a strategic thinking business coach, please contact Glenn Ebersole through his website

Article Source

Many companies these days are getting on the Green bandwagon. If a company is marketing their products or services as being environmentally friendly, they sometimes scramble to find office supplies that back up their message. Turning to the big box office supply companies doesn’t always give you the best selection of recycled office products. Most companies find what they are looking for at smaller “Mom & Pop” type office supply stores; which are few and far between these days. These smaller stores know that they have to provide better competitive advantage to their larger competitor that will beat them almost every time on price. Some of these small office supply stores have turned to environmentally friendly office supplies to maintain that edge.

There are some great recycled papers that have a higher post consumer recycled content than what the bigger companies are carrying. Living Tree Paper out of Eugene, Oregon has some great papers that are 90% recycled and 10% Hemp/Flax. We are starting to see pencils made of recycled paper. One of the biggest problems has been with vinyl. Vinyl or PVC is a petroleum based product that is toxic to manufacture and dispose. When your binder’s rings bend or your cover rips, it’s off to the landfill where it will be thousands of years before that material can break down. Manufacturers really need to think through the impact their materials have on the environment. There are many materials like corrugated cardboard, non toxic chip board, recycled bending chip and even bioplastics that would make excellent materials for office supplies and recycled binders.

Office supply stores that carry these types of products will give them the competitive edge over their competition, as well as, give them the satisfaction that they are doing their part for the environment.

Brad Hole is President of Sustainable Group; a Seattle based manufacturer of environmentally friendly office supplies that include Rebinder and Repocket.

Article Source