Business Ethics

Just as any country has its own language, so do various fields of activity have their own language of behavior. This language is called ethics. Arriving in another country, but not having studied the language of this country, a foreigner runs the risk of goofing off. At best, he will be misunderstood; at worst, he can make a series of unforgivable mistakes, for which, according to local laws, he can be hanged. The same applies to the ethics of business communication - however, no one will be seriously punished for its violation, but they can be fired from work.

Morality is at the center of ethics - it defines the boundaries of relationships, actions and interactions of people in society. Ethics of business relations are the theoretical foundations of relationships between people in a particular professional field. The essence of these principles is determined by professional and ethical norms and standards (this is not just the psychology of each individual person). It is believed that any professional communication should proceed on the basis of business ethics.

The principle of any ethics, as well as language, is to be “on the same wavelength” with the environment. If this feeling does not arise, then the person falls into resonance with society, and this society will force him out of his team.However, if this person is a strong personality, he will be able to change the ethics of the whole society for himself and the team will have to accept new conditions. But this rarely happens.

Sometimes in the ethics of business relations there are difficult cases. For example, in the general principles of ethics in front of an open door, it is necessary to let women go first. But according to the ethics of business communication, if a man, rising in an elevator, stands closer to the doors, and a woman stands behind him, the man does not need to let the woman go ahead of him. You need to get out first. When several norms are spinning in the head that contradict each other, confusion arises and a person falls into a stupor. Therefore, a clear gradation of all ethical rules is needed.

Ethics are divided into two groups. The first is the principles and elements of etiquette, respect, tolerance, which a person has possessed since childhood. The second group is those functions of the development of service relationships, whose structure is the norm of the organization in which the individual carries out his activities.

There are generally accepted norms that are the basis of all ethics, including business relationships.

The rules are very simple:

• be the same as the whole team around you;
• not stand out both externally (clothes, hairstyle) and emotionally;
• comply with general rules and regulations;
• be kind, courteous, responsible, non-conflict, and better - humble;
• have clear and beautiful speech;
• be industrious;
• be stress resistant.

There are ten more basics of business etiquette that will be relevant in any company:

• Arrive on time. In the business world, the best rule to follow is: "Arrive five minutes before."You need to give yourself enough time to arrive at the meeting point quickly, take off your coat and calm down a bit. Arriving at a meeting exactly on time can make you feel nervous and everyone will see it. Time is a commodity; being punctual shows that you respect others.
• The dress is appropriate. While the appropriate attire will of course vary from company to company, some things remain the same. Clean, ironed clothing without any loose threads or marks, and relatively polished closed-toe shoes, are a must. If in doubt, check with the Human Resources staff to make sure you have the right outfit.
• Speak kindly. Make sure you greet your colleagues and remember to say "please" and "thank you." These words make a huge difference in how you are perceived. Your good manners show that you acknowledge those around you and are attentive to their presence.

• Avoid gossip. Gossip is a childish behavior that has no place at work. If you hear a rumor about someone at work, don't pass it on. People don't always know or remember who starts a rumor, but they always remember who spreads it.
• Show interest in. Do not play on your phone or computer if a colleague is standing next to you and telling you something. Maintain friendly eye contact.
• Be mindful of body language. In the Western world, the handshake is still the typical greeting. Greet someone with a firm but quick handshake. Hugs or other forms of affection that you share with friends and family are inappropriate in the workplace.
• Represent yourself and others. Sometimes it may seem that people do not remember your name or position. If you're with an employee who has just joined the company, take the time to introduce them to others. This will help you and him feel comfortable in the office.

• Don't interrupt. When you have a great idea or suddenly remember something important, it can be tempting to speak up immediately. Do not do that. Demonstrating that you are an attentive listener is the foundation of diplomacy.
• Don't swear. Using vulgar language is a sure way to become unpopular in the workplace. Business etiquette requires the constant awareness that you are in a diverse environment with people you don't know on a personal level. Therefore, swear words are not always appropriate in the work environment.
• Get rid of bad smell and be quieter. If you visit a bar after work, don't drink too much alcohol. While at work, take care not to bring in particularly unpleasant food, the smell of which not everyone in the office will perceive. Do not make noise during or after eating. Believe me, no one wants to hear this.

If we talk specifically about the ethics of business relations, then it consists of several areas.

• Ethics of dealing with people. Each company has its own. The formation of the image of each employee, his relationship with other employees, his appointment and role in the team depends on this.Companies greet leaders differently depending on the corporate culture. For example, in modern startups, it is customary to communicate with the manager on “you”, to present not by name and patronymic, but only by name or nickname.
• Business Card Ethics. This is one of the components of business ethics. The subject of such ethics is an ordinary business card. In Russia, not so long ago it became customary to exchange cards when meeting people. Each corporate culture has adopted its own options for creating and designating business cards - somewhere you can’t indicate your position, but somewhere, on the contrary, many are even allowed to indicate their achievements on a business card.

• Ethics of dress and manners of communication. This is also part of business ethics. In the labor collective, men and women have different norms and rules of corporate wardrobe and make-up. In most companies, they are spelled out in a special code. For example, many women are prohibited from wearing trousers to work, while men are required to wear a tie. About the rules of communication will be discussed below.
• Ethics of written business communication. Every company has its own templates for business letters. Even intra-collective correspondence in many companies is subject to special rules and regulations.

In fact, business ethics is a system of behavior invented and calculated by analysts for the successful conduct of business.Such a system limits a person in terms of friendships and love relationships, but opens up great opportunities in terms of developing useful contacts. But for any person, the need for friendship or informal communication is characteristic, and sometimes it is difficult for the authorities to restrain such “impulses” if they slip through in business communication.

In world practice, there are generally accepted rules that must be observed when communicating in any business society:

• ask questions to the interlocutor in such a form and with such content that they do not unbalance him;
• it is necessary to give the interlocutor the opportunity to speak calmly;
• in any possible way, you should try to make it easier for the interlocutor to perceive your theses and proposals;
• if the interlocutor has lost the thread of the conversation or there is a hitch in the conversation, you need to help him with leading questions;
• you need to answer questions concisely and clearly, it is important to divide your statement into certain semantic stages - this way it will be easier for the interlocutor to perceive your speech, but their number does not matter;
• do not rush to answer - first you need to make sure that you understand the question correctly;
• if negative, incorrect words, expressions or concepts are used in a question, this does not mean that they need to be repeated - it is important to remember that your speech reflects you as an employee;
• it is better not to answer provocative questions and formulated problems at all or to transfer the conversation to the one who asks the question.

About the culture of communication and ethics of business relations, see the following video.