The Characteristics Of Ethical Leaders And Their Importance In Business

Ethics in Business

The concept of business ethics

Ethics tells us the way to act in a certain situation not just to achieve a particular objective but considering everything around us. Business ethics refer to a set of professional or applied ethics that review or study ethical or moral principles and ethical or moral problems that appear in any business environment (Burnes, Hughes & By, 2018).

Ethical leadership is about far more than having an understanding of the right values, or of having a strong character that leads by example. An ethical leader not only has high values and the determination to succeed but also understands the importance of building a strong framework that allows others to follow the examples set so that everyone benefits (Dion, 2017). Ethical leadership is about striving for the same goal and embodying the same purpose, values and vision.

The Characteristics of Ethical Leaders

An ethical leader is someone who embodies the purpose and values of the company, organisation or team that he/she works for or leads. This leader is driven to perform to the best of their ability and compels others to do the same. Maintaining strong ethics in a professional and personal capacity marks an ethical leader as someone who stands out from the crowd (Mitonga-Monga & Cilliers, 2016). To be an ethical leader requires the ability to be open, honest and direct in all situations and with all kinds of people.

Ethical Focus

Leadership of any kind is generally powered by an individual who is driven to perform to the best of their ability, and who is determined to overcome any challenges and obstacles along the way to success. To be able to overcome personal ego therefore requires the ability to understand personal strengths and weakness and to put aside an individual ambition so that all focus is put towards the growing of success as a whole, for a company, team or organisation. An ethical leader forsakes personal success so that they can drive and inspire others to achieve a shared vision, dream and goal. A leader who has high moral values leads by identifying levers such as a shared incentive that motivates all to work together and the development of loyalty (Engelbrecht, Heine & Mahembe, 2017). In this way the leader gains their success through the success of the team, and not simply through following their own ego.

The Creation of Value

In order to be a successful leader an individual must bring value to the team, group or company they are asked to lead and direct. To do this successfully an ethical leader must set up open communication where the basics of value is routinely discussed and explored. Leaders must also take responsibility and accountability regarding bringing value into the role and have an understanding of the alternatives (Lawton & Páez, 2015). Having a strong commitment to creating a flow in communication, business and knowledge enables the ethical leader to empower whilst creating loyalty and productivity.

The Importance of Ethical Leadership

Three characteristics of an ethical leader are:

Justice

An ethical leader is always fair and just. They have no favorites, and treat everyone equally. Under an ethical leader, no employee has any reason to fear biased treatment on the basis of gender, ethnicity, nationality, or any other factor.

Respect others

One of the most important traits of ethical leadership is the respect that is given to followers. An ethical leader shows respect all members of the team by listening to them attentively, valuing their contributions, being compassionate, and being generous while considering opposing viewpoints.

Honesty

It goes without saying that anyone who is ethical will also be honest and loyal. Honesty is particularly important to be an effective ethical leader, because followers trust honest and dependable leaders (Bedi, Alpaslan & Green, 2016). Ethical leaders convey facts transparently, no matter how unpopular they may be.

4.1 It ensures that you are following the law.
There are legal guidelines which are used to dictate the different decisions your company is able to make each day. A common example of this is a sexual harassment policy that is in effect at work because of laws which govern that sort of behaviour.

4.2 It helps to create a healthier workplace culture.
When there is an ethical leadership style in place for an organization, then it creates a healthier, more positive workplace culture. It creates an environment where each worker knows that they will be treated with respect. The environment is nurturing, encouraging, and focuses on building strong relationships between workers and the executive team (Engelbrecht, Wolmarans & Mahembe, 2017). Over time, this creates better moral, lower employee churn, and a positive effect on worker productivity.

4.3 It creates an emphasis on being conscientious.
Ethical leaders are always conscientious. They are vigilant, careful, and thorough with every decision they make. These leaders take their position seriously, wanting themselves and their direct reports to succeed as often as possible. At the same time, there is a focus on empowerment to ensure that the organization and its workers are able to continue growing. When the leader has a strong moral identity, this emphasis on being conscientious can be passed along to others.

5.1 Directive Leadership: A Culture of Consistency

Directive leadership utilizes a pyramid structure, with power flowing from the top down. Those at the top give those at the bottom specific instructions and tasks. This style doesn’t encourage an organizational culture of collaboration in which leadership is characterized by dialogue, openness, or collaboration. Instead, directive leadership creates class distinctions based on each person’s position in the organizational hierarchy. Rewards and punishments are used to control workers—and the overall organizational culture. That’s why this leadership style is sometimes called “coercive management.”

The Characteristics of Ethical Leaders

5.2 Transformational Leadership: A Culture of Inspiration

Transformational leadership is all about exploring what defines your organization’s culture—and making changes to improve it. Transformational leaders begin by bringing team members together to provide honest feedback. Employees identify challenges and opportunities, as well as personal goals and aspirations. Then, leaders align the organization’s goals and values with those of its team members while also charting a course for positive organizational change. Why? Aligning organizational and individual values improves morale, which has been shown to improve productivity. The overall goal is to inspire transformational tendencies in employees by reflecting their personal goals and values.

5.3 Servant Leadership: Culture of Inclusion

Servant leadership flips the organizational pyramid, creating an atmosphere where everyone serves as a leader. The leader’s task is to establish an organization’s visionary goals and strategic direction. Then, the manager serves in a support role as employees work to achieve these objectives. Servant leaders focus on serving organizational stakeholders—and the larger community (Coetzer, Bussin & Geldenhuys, 2017).

5.4 Participative Leadership: Culture of Innovation

Relying on a democratic approach, participative leadership works to build consensus among team members. As with transformational leadership and servant leadership, participative leadership earns trust and commitment to achieve whole-system change. Leaders make the final decision, but they do so through a process of compromise, collaboration, and consensus building that engages all team members.

Charismatic leadership is a leadership approach related to transformational and visionary leadership

The last thirty years has seen a proliferation in research on charismatic leadership, transformational leadership and visionary leadership with charisma being the most important component of these leadership approaches. Collectively, they are referred to as neo-charismatic leadership because charisma is the main component. This CQ Dossier describes the main dimensions of charisma and describes those qualities that distinguish charismatic leaders from non-charismatic leaders (Lindebaum, Geddes & Gabriel, 2017). The dossier supplies recommendations on how best to cultivate a culture where charismatic leadership flourishes and the interventions that can help an organization foster through charisma.

Central to these theories is that charismatic leaders have an emotional impact on their followers through their behaviors and personal characteristics. Robert House and Boas Shamir (House & Shamir, 1993) integrated the theories and proposed various dimensions of charismatic leadership. To summarize, charismatic leaders are visionary, arouse followers’ motives, are excellent role models, project a positive self-image and empower their followers.

It is believed that the most important characteristic that distinguishes charismatic from non-charismatic leaders is that charismatic leaders are visionary. Charismatic leaders are able to effectively articulate, facilitate and formulate ideological goals such as honesty, fairness, and craftsmanship.

Ethical Focus

Giving employees the responsibility and power to make decisions can therefore be the difference between a happy workforce and a miserable one. The feasible strategies for that are as follows:

7.1 Form a committee

Once a company reaches a certain size, it can be hard to hear everyone’s voice. By forming a committee, you can get members from various departments to consolidate the suggestions and complaints from their areas and discuss the best ways for the company to address these issues and move forward.

7.2 Suggestion box

Another way to help engage your workers is by encouraging them to suggest changes that should be made to the company. Not all suggestions will be viable (pay rises for all, perhaps?), but you might learn there’s a lot of support behind a better recycling system or an initiative the company should be involved in. If these changes are implemented, it will show that you listen to workers’ ideas and care about their happiness.

7.3 Offer choices

If you’re about to make a big change to the way things are done in your business, it’s not always about think tanks and executive meetings. The people on the floor who do the day-to-day work more often than not know where things can be improved (Bulatova, 2015). Come up with a few options you think will improve things and then let your team brainstorm and vote on what they want to see happen. By giving them a voice, they’re more likely to get behind changes and put in more effort to make them work.

7.4 Let them choose their training

Any successful management strategy involves training employees. Not only does it mean you can keep and nurture the best talent, you can also instil your company’s values on your workers. While you may have certain things you want your employees to learn, they might not always agree with what you think is best for their career path. Speak to them about the skills they want to learn and, so long as there’s a way it can benefit them, it’s a good way to show you care. Because they’ve chosen the course, they’ll likely put more effort into studying and putting what they’ve learnt into practice.

8.1 Recognize that building trust takes hard work

Trust must be earned. It comes from conscious effort to walk your talk, keep your promises and align your behaviour with your values. Building trust is worth the effort because once trust is lost, it can be very difficult to recover.

The Creation of Value

8.2 Be honest and supportive

Even when it’s difficult, tell the truth and not just what you think people want to hear. Understand what employees need to know and communicate facts while being considerate of their effort and sensitive to their feelings. Showing support and understanding for your team members, even when mistakes are made. It goes a long way in building trust as a leader.

8.3 Commit to follow through

Even the best-intended talk is hollow if not followed by corresponding action. Say you’ll do something only if you are able to follow through, and don’t commit if there is a chance you won’t be able to deliver. Breaking a commitment can destroy trust you’ve built as well as make people less inclined to trust you in the future.

Effective health and safety performance comes from the top; members of the board have both collective and individual responsibility for health and safety. Directors and boards need to examine their own behaviours, both individually and collectively, against the guidance given – and, where they see that they fall short of the standards it sets them, to change what they do to become more effective leaders in health and safety.

Why directors and board members need to act:

• Protecting the health and safety of employees or members of the public who may be affected by your activities is an essential part of risk management and must be led by the board.
• Failure to include health and safety as a key business risk in board decisions can have catastrophic results. Many high-profile safety cases over the years have been rooted in failures of leadership.
• Health and safety law places duties on organisations and employers, and directors can be personally liable when these duties are breached: members of the board have both collective and individual responsibility for health and safety.

By following this guidance, you will help your organisation find the best ways to lead and promote health and safety, and therefore meet its legal obligations.

10.1 anti-Discriminatory Law

In Australia, it is unlawful to discriminate on the basis of a number of protected attributes including age, disability, race, sex, intersex status, gender identity and sexual orientation in certain areas of public life, including education and employment. Australia’s federal anti-discrimination laws are contained in the following legislation:

• Age Discrimination Act 2004
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992
• Racial Discrimination Act 1975
• Sex Discrimination Act 1984.

Anti-discrimination practices protect certain groups today and all of humans in the future. The importance of these laws cannot be understood upfront. However, without them, anyone, anytime might decide to discriminate against a group of people for any reason. By simply having these laws, we prevent some future discrimination. Those that may wish to discriminate in ways was not prevented by law specifically may not because of the laws already in place.

The laws protect individuals but also protect people as a whole and the free society in which we leave.

10.2 Providing Equal Opportunity

Equal employment practices are important for both individuals and organizations. On an individual basis, EEO laws accomplish many things. First, EEO helps establish a baseline for acceptable behaviour, which is important considering the vast array of lifestyles, values, and attitudes individuals have. Secondly, EEO practices help individuals feel they are being treated fairly and equally, which can increase an individual’s level of commitment, satisfaction, and loyalty to their employer. A third reason involves a person’s mental mind set and sense of personal worth and well-being. An individual that feels confident in all situations, even ones where he or she is a minority, will help the individual’s sense of overall worth and ability to comfortably contribute.

Different Leadership Styles

Kindly note that I have already completed the PowerPoint presentation for the upcoming business meeting the primary focus of the presentation is on the objectives for the upcoming year being the expansion of the company into Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast markets as described in the Strategic Plan and to discuss and allocate roles and responsibilities in relation to the expansion. The presentation is approximately of 15 minutes and uses graphics, such as images and tables or graphs to add interest to the presentation, as well as provides a visual representation of data. A further 15 minutes have been allocated to the discussion of the operational priorities and activities required to achieve them. 

I am sending this letter to summarize and confirm the policies we discussed in our staff meeting last Wednesday. The policies are the following:

Please be sure that everyone who works for you is aware of these policies, so we can avoid the kinds of confusion and misunderstandings that have occurred in the past. We appreciate your cooperation in implementing these new policies and hope that the changes will benefit all.

2.4.1 Data Analysis

Staff time sheets for September show that Human Resources Manager is working180 hours over a 4-week period (M to F). Break of at least 30 minutes taken each day. The marketing manager’s data shows 190 hours worked over a 4-week period. Shows no lunch breaks taken. Operations Manager’s data shows 14.5 hours worked during three days of the month of September. Lunch breaks taken intermittently. Administration Officer’s data shows 152 hours plus lunch breaks of 30 minutes taken.  Fatigue increases the risk of injuries or other accidents. As an employer, we have to ensure that our workers are not experiencing signs or effects of fatigue on the job. We can help make your workers and your business safer by including information on fatigue and sleep in your safety guidelines and orientations. We can also develop a fatigue management plan.

2.4.2 Implications of Fatigue

Acute fatigue results from short-term sleep loss or from short periods of heavy physical or mental work. The effects of acute fatigue are of short duration and usually can be reversed by sleep and relaxation. Chronic fatigue syndrome is the constant, severe state of tiredness that is not relieved by rest.

 2.4.3 Strategies for managing fatigue  

We have to train supervisors and workers to recognize the immediate signs and symptoms of fatigue, which include the following:

• Tiredness or sleepiness
• Memory lapses
• Difficulty concentrating
• Slower reaction times

Charismatic Leadership

2.5 Email to Operations Manager

Date: 08^th March, 2019

To: The Operations Manager, Boutique Build Australia

Subject: Communication of the Fatigue Management Plan

Respected Sir,

Please find the attached fatigue management plan.

2.4 Report to investigate workplace issues

• Data Analysis

Staff time sheets for September show that Human Resources Manager is working180 hours over a 4-week period (M to F). Break of at least 30 minutes taken each day. The marketing manager’s data shows 190 hours worked over a 4-week period. Shows no lunch breaks taken. Operations Manager’s data shows 14.5 hours worked during three days of the month of September. Lunch breaks taken intermittently. Administration Officer’s data shows 152 hours plus lunch breaks of 30 minutes taken.  Fatigue increases the risk of injuries or other accidents. As an employer, we have to ensure that our workers are not experiencing signs or effects of fatigue on the job. We can help make your workers and your business safer by including information on fatigue and sleep in your safety guidelines and orientations. We can also develop a fatigue management plan.

• Implications of Fatigue

Acute fatigue results from short-term sleep loss or from short periods of heavy physical or mental work. The effects of acute fatigue are of short duration and usually can be reversed by sleep and relaxation. Chronic fatigue syndrome is the constant, severe state of tiredness that is not relieved by rest.

• Strategies for managing fatigue  

We have to train supervisors and workers to recognize the immediate signs and symptoms of fatigue, which include the following:

• Tiredness or sleepiness
• Memory lapses
• Difficulty concentrating
• Slower reaction times

Brisbane, DECEMBER 13, 2018 – The BBA Group today announces the expansion of its’ business providing significantly enhanced geographic support to its’ client base. With investment in new regional hires and the development of several strategic international alliances, BBA Australia will now deliver its full range services in the mentioned areas of Australia

BBA Australia’s full range of support services are now available across these markets to assist their clients with their international expansion and the in-country management and compliance of their local operations. BBA Australia’s unique model which includes local market research, distributor search and channel development, local sales, marketing and business development, accounting, compliance and corporate secretarial, tax and payroll and staff recruitment, outsourced employment (PEO) and HR advisory services will be delivered locally in each market.

These services can be taken standalone or as part of BBA Australia’s integrated model delivered via its’ international Business Centers which offer an ideal LaunchPad^TMfor new entrants to a foreign market.

Strategies to Cultivate a Culture of Inclusion, Innovation, Inspiration, and Consistency

Since its formation in 2008, BBA Australia’s has successfully supported the in-country expansion of over 250 organizations worldwide. Clients include Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 corporations, small and mid-sized companies, higher education institutions, vocational colleges, non-profit and donor organizations, trade associations and professional bodies and numerous Federal and State Government trade and investment and education agencies.

“Having established and proven our model in some of the most challenging markets over the past nine years, many of our clients have been asking us to expand our footprint in order to help them achieve the same success elsewhere.” said Adrian Mutton, Founder & CEO of the BBA Australia Group. “With a focus on increasing exports and cross-border trade and investment, we have been working closely with government agencies, trade associations, leading international banks and other market entry specialists to deliver the most focused, comprehensive and effective international expansion platform available and today’s announcement is a result of that hard work” says Mutton.

“Regular requests from many of our globally active clients highlighted the need for broader international support and therefore encouraged us to establish an international delivery team to service their local finance, tax, accounting, payroll and compliance requirements” says BBA Australia Group Co-Founder, CFO and Director of Financial Consulting.  “Having established strong relationships and built trust with over 250 active organizations, we understand their ambitions and recognize their challenges and know when and how to serve them best” says the CFO.

Herein lies the details of Media release.

Brisbane, DECEMBER 13, 2018 – The BBA Group today announces the expansion of its’ business providing significantly enhanced geographic support to its’ client base. With investment in new regional hires and the development of several strategic international alliances, BBA Australia will now deliver its full range services in the mentioned areas of Australia

BBA Australia’s full range of support services are now available across these markets to assist their clients with their international expansion and the in-country management and compliance of their local operations. BBA Australia’s unique model which includes local market research, distributor search and channel development, local sales, marketing and business development, accounting, compliance and corporate secretarial, tax and payroll and staff recruitment, outsourced employment (PEO) and HR advisory services will be delivered locally in each market.

These services can be taken standalone or as part of BBA Australia’s integrated model delivered via its’ international Business Centers which offer an ideal LaunchPad^TMfor new entrants to a foreign market.

Since its formation in 2008, BBA Australia’s has successfully supported the in-country expansion of over 250 organizations worldwide. Clients include Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 corporations, small and mid-sized companies, higher education institutions, vocational colleges, non-profit and donor organizations, trade associations and professional bodies and numerous Federal and State Government trade and investment and education agencies.

“Having established and proven our model in some of the most challenging markets over the past nine years, many of our clients have been asking us to expand our footprint in order to help them achieve the same success elsewhere.” said Adrian Mutton, Founder & CEO of the BBA Australia Group. “With a focus on increasing exports and cross-border trade and investment, we have been working closely with government agencies, trade associations, leading international banks and other market entry specialists to deliver the most focused, comprehensive and effective international expansion platform available and today’s announcement is a result of that hard work” says Mutton.

“Regular requests from many of our globally active clients highlighted the need for broader international support and therefore encouraged us to establish an international delivery team to service their local finance, tax, accounting, payroll and compliance requirements” says BBA Australia Group Co-Founder, CFO and Director of Financial Consulting.  “Having established strong relationships and built trust with over 250 active organizations, we understand their ambitions and recognize their challenges and know when and how to serve them best” says the CFO.

Absences are costly and can result in diminished morale and productivity. The economic losses can be significant. One study estimate that a bit more than 20% of payroll goes to pay for employee absenteeism. Beyond the dollar costs, excess absences affect overall productivity and can lower workplace morale.

Your workplace should clearly communicate goals, rules and expectations regarding absenteeism so that employees understand how much leave they have accumulated and the circumstances under which it can be use. Recognizing employees for consistent attendance can be a good motivator, while it may be necessary to carefully scrutinize excess absences.

A supervisor cannot simply say, “Do the best job you can,” when asking for peak performance from his employees, nor can he constantly drive their daily motivation. Goals must be set in terms of specific values that reflect either the individual employee or group performance. For instance, a supervisor in a manufacturing plant might set a basic goal to improve order output from 150 orders to 200 orders each day. Workers are more productive when they understand the importance of the expected outcome and make a commitment to themselves and their supervisor to improve their performance.

If a business is customer-focused and the goal is to improve the company’s customer service, the objective might be to “improve the customer service score by 15 points using a direct-mail customer satisfaction survey.” A supervisor who is committed to improving customer service skills also might set goals to decrease the time that a customer waits on hold to 15 seconds. Short-term goals provide guidance on a day-to-day basis to help meet objectives such as these. Once goals have been set, the supervisor should discuss the department’s progress on a regular basis.

Another example of basic goals and objectives a supervisor might strive for is to reduce the turnover rate in her department. If a company has three discharges and two quits in one year, a realistic goal for the next year might be to have no quits for employees who have been with the company for over three years. If the department consistently has problems with job scheduling, the supervisor might ask her supervisees to strive for a 20 percent increase over last year in on-time jobs. With challenging but achievable goals, the supervisor can help foster a sense of accomplishment, increase business and push individuals to thrive in the workplace.

Absences are costly and can result in diminished morale and productivity. The economic losses can be significant. One study estimate that a bit more than 20% of payroll goes to pay for employee absenteeism. Beyond the dollar costs, excess absences affect overall productivity and can lower workplace morale.

Your workplace should clearly communicate goals, rules and expectations regarding absenteeism so that employees understand how much leave they have accumulated and the circumstances under which it can be use. Recognizing employees for consistent attendance can be a good motivator, while it may be necessary to carefully scrutinize excess absences.

A supervisor cannot simply say, “Do the best job you can,” when asking for peak performance from his employees, nor can he constantly drive their daily motivation. Goals must be set in terms of specific values that reflect either the individual employee or group performance. For instance, a supervisor in a manufacturing plant might set a basic goal to improve order output from 150 orders to 200 orders each day. Workers are more productive when they understand the importance of the expected outcome and make a commitment to themselves and their supervisor to improve their performance.

If a business is customer-focused and the goal is to improve the company’s customer service, the objective might be to “improve the customer service score by 15 points using a direct-mail customer satisfaction survey.” A supervisor who is committed to improving customer service skills also might set goals to decrease the time that a customer waits on hold to 15 seconds. Short-term goals provide guidance on a day-to-day basis to help meet objectives such as these. Once goals have been set, the supervisor should discuss the department’s progress on a regular basis.

Another example of basic goals and objectives a supervisor might strive for is to reduce the turnover rate in her department. If a company has three discharges and two quits in one year, a realistic goal for the next year might be to have no quits for employees who have been with the company for over three years. If the department consistently has problems with job scheduling, the supervisor might ask her supervisees to strive for a 20 percent increase over last year in on-time jobs. With challenging but achievable goals, the supervisor can help foster a sense of accomplishment, increase business and push individuals to thrive in the workplace.

The professional Development Report is as follows:

Continuing professional development is becoming more important in all professions as the rate of change and number of specialisms increases. In the construction industry, CPD has become a vital part of a professional career as a result of; continuous and accelerating changes in technology, regulations and procurement practices; increasing specialisation; and the complexity and integration of the supply chain.

It is no longer adequate to obtain a professional qualification at the beginning of a career and then to work for 40 or 50 years with no further structured pattern of learning. Instead, lifelong learning is becoming the norm, with professionals taking part-time courses and short courses to understand emerging innovations such as building information modelling (BIM) or taking career breaks and returning to full-time education to improve or develop an aspect of their practice.

Many of the industry’s professional institutes require that members undertake CPD as a condition of continued accreditation (such as the RIBA, CIOB, RICS, RTPI, CIAT, ICE, IStructE, and so on), and for some professions (such as architects) it is a statutory requirement.

Some requirements for continuing professional development are relatively loose, for example the Architects’ Registration Board (ARB) requires that architects keep relevant knowledge and skills up-to-date, and are aware of the content of any guidelines issued by the Board, but they permit architects to ‘think laterally’ and encourage them to undertake cpd in a number of ways. Similarly, the CIOB states, ‘We think members are in the best position to know how best to brush up their skills‘.

In contrast, others are more prescriptive. For example, the Royal Institute of Australian Architects (RIBA) expect chartered members to participate in a system that focuses on time and gaining 100 CPD points each year, and a core curriculum, requiring that architects undertake at least 35 hours of CPD, with 20 hours coming from the ten topics in a 10 core curriculum topics (with 2 hours on each topic each year). These are: Being Safe, Climate, External Managements, Internal Management, Compliance,Procurement and contracts, Designing and building it, Where people live, Context, Access for all.

RIBA provide a CPD Network of over 550 organisations that provide CPD, as well as core seminars that contribute towards this, alongside various training programmes and volunteering programmes.

Some institutes require that CPD is planned and recorded, and some will randomly check members’ compliance.

CPD may be formal, informal, structured or self-directed. Generally, if an activity helps meet a professional development objective (or helps others meet professional development objectives), it may count as CPD. This might include:

• Internal discussions or meetings.
• Training another member of staff.
• Supervising students.
• Attending in-housetraining events.
• Undertaking short courses.
• Attending conferences, seminars or workshops.
• Taking part in competitions.
• Researchfor writing articles.
• Distance learning.
• Online learning (such as the CIOB cpd portal).
• Reading government
• Reading technical reports.
• Reading magazines, websites or other literature.
• Researching new productsor methods.

There are a number of CPD providers that offer face-to-face, online or distance cpd products which often involve reading materials and then answering multiple choice questions. CPD certificates may be issued on successful completion of a subject or module.

Some professionals see CPD as an unnecessary bureaucratic burden, and claim that they learn throughout their careers during the course of their work. However, CPD should not be seen as a box-ticking exercise. It can provide a formal structure for learning that is happening anyway, and properly planned, it allows professionals to analyse their needs and direct their learning in a focussed way that will be of greater benefit to their day-to-day activities.

NB: There is a degree of confusion between the requirements of the Architects’ Registration Board and the Royal Institute of Australian Architects. However, the ARB state, ‘if you are a member of the RIBA, and you comply with their CPD requirements (or those of another appropriate professional body) you are likely to satisfy the Board.’

The Human Resources Manager guides and manages the overall provision of Human Resources services, policies, and programs for a company within a small to mid-sized company, or a portion of the Human Resources function within a large company.

The job responsibilities of the Human Resources Manager differ depending on the overall needs of the company or organization. The Human Resources Manager determines or is assigned the duties and job responsibilities that are required by the senior management team to meet the needs of their workforce management.

The major areas the Human Resources Manager manages can include:

• recruiting and staffing;
• organizational departmental planning;
• performance managementand improvement systems;
• organization development;
• employment and compliance with regulatory concerns regarding employees;
• employee onboarding, development, needs assessment, and training;
• policy developmentand documentation;
• employee relations;
• company-wide committee facilitation;
• company employee and community communication;
• compensation and benefits administration;
• employee safety, welfare, wellness, and health;
• charitable giving; and
• employee services and counseling.

Occasionally, the Human Resources Manager is in charge of ancillary areas such as reception, customer service, administration, or transactional accounting to name a few possibilities.

The Human Resources Manager originates and leads Human Resources practices and objectives that will provide an employee-oriented; high-performance culture that emphasizes empowerment, quality, productivity, and standards; goal attainment, and the recruitment and ongoing development of a superior workforce.

The Human Resources Manager is responsible for the development of processes and metrics that support the achievement of the organization’s business goals.

The Human Resources Manager coordinates the implementation of people-related services, policies, and programs through Human Resources staff; reports to the CEO; and assists and advises company managers about Human Resources issues.

• Health and safety of the workforce.
• Development of a superior workforce.
• Development of the Human Resources department.
• Development of an employee-oriented company culture that emphasizes quality, continuous improvement, key employee retentionand development, and high performance.
• Personal ongoing development.

Depending on the organization, the Human Resources Manager may or may not have responsibility for community relations, philanthropic giving, company community sports team and event sponsoring, space planning, benefits review, and administration.

Depending on the needs of the organization, such responsibilities may be carried out by the finance department, facilities department, marketing, and public relations, and/or administration.

No matter which department bears the leadership responsibility for the function, the Human Resources manager is closely involved in decisions, implementation, and review.

Thus, responsibilities of the Human Resources manager may include the following.

• Oversees the implementation of Human Resources programsthrough Human Resources staff. Identifies opportunities for improvement and resolves problems.
• Oversees and manages the workof reporting Human Resources staff. Encourages the ongoing development of the Human Resources staff.
• Develops and monitors an annual budget that includes Human Resources services, employee recognition, sports teams and community events support, company philanthropic giving, and benefits administration.
• Selects and supervises Human Resources consultants, attorneys, and training specialists, and coordinates company use of insurance brokers, insurance carriers, pension administrators, and other outside sources.
• Conducts a continuing study of all Human Resources policies, programs, and practices to keep management informed of new developments.
• Leads the development of department goals, objectives, and systems. Provides leadership for Human Resources strategic planning.
• Establishes HR departmental measurementsthat support the accomplishment of the company’s strategic goals.
• Manages the preparation and maintenance of such reports as are necessary to carry out the functions of the department. Prepares periodic reports for management, as necessary or requested, to track strategic goal accomplishment.
• Develops and administers programs, procedures, and guidelines to help align the workforcewith the strategic goals of the company.
• Participates in executive, management, and company staff meetings and attends other meetings and seminars.
• With the CEO, CFO, and community relations group, plan the company’s philanthropic and charitable giving.

• Manages the development and maintenance of the Human Resources sections of both the company website, particularly recruiting, culture, and company information; and the employee Intranet, wikis, newsletters, and so forth.
• Utilizes the HRIS systemto eliminate administrative tasks, empower employees, and meet the other needs of the organization.

• Coordinates all Human Resources training programs, and assigns the authority/responsibility of Human Resources and managers within those programs. Provides necessary education and materials to managers and employees including workshops, manuals, employee handbooks, and standardized reports.
• Leads the implementation of the performance management systemthat includes performance development plans (PDPs) and employee development programs.
• Establishes an in-house employee training system that addresses company training needs including training needs assessment, new employee onboarding or orientation, management development, production cross-training, the measurement of training impact, and training transfers.
• Assists managers with the selection and contracting of external training programs and consultants.
• Assists with the development of and monitors the spending of the corporate training budget. Maintains employee training records.

• Establishes and leads the standard recruiting and hiring practicesand procedures necessary to recruit and hire a superior workforce.
• Interviews management and executive position candidates; serves as part of the interview team for position finalists.
• Chairs any employee selection committees or meetings.

• Formulates and recommends Human Resources policies and objectives for the company on any topic associated with employee relations and employee rights.
• Partners with management to communicate Human Resources policies, procedures, programs, and laws.
• Determines and recommends employee relations practices necessary to establish a positive employer-employee relationship and promote a high level of employee moraleand motivation. Conducts periodic surveys to measure employee satisfaction and employee engagement.
• Coaches and trains managers in their communication, feedback, recognition, and interaction responsibilities with the employees who report to them. Makes certain that the managers know how to successfully, ethically, honestly, and legally communicate with employees.
• Conducts investigations when employee complaints or concerns are brought forth.
• Monitors and advises managers and supervisors in the progressive discipline systemof the company. Monitors the implementation of a performance improvement process with non-performing employees.
• Reviews, guides, and approves management recommendations for employment terminations.
• Leads the implementation of company safety and health programs. Monitors the tracking of OSHA-required data.
• Reviews employee appeals through the company complaint procedure.

• Establishes the company wage and salarystructure, pay policies, and oversees the variable pay systems within the company including bonuses and raises.
• Leads competitive market research to establish pay practices and pay bands that help to recruit and retain superior staff.
• Monitors all pay practices and systems for effectiveness and cost containment.
• Leads participation in at least one salary survey per year. Monitors best practices in compensation and benefits through research and up-to-date information on available products.

• With the assistance of the CFO, obtains cost-effective, employee-serving benefits; monitors national benefits environment for options and cost savings.
• Leads the development of benefit orientations and other benefits training for employees and their families.
• Recommends changes in benefits offered, especially new benefitsaimed at employee satisfaction and retention.

• Leads company compliance with all existing governmental and labor legal and government reporting requirements including any related to the Equal Employment Opportunity(EEO), the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Department of Labor, worker compensation, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and so forth. Maintains minimal company exposure to lawsuits.
• Directs the preparation of information requested or required for compliance with laws. Approves all information submitted. Serves as the primary contact with the company employment law attorney and outside government agencies.
• Protects the interests of employees and the company in accordance with company Human Resources policies and governmental laws and regulations. Minimizes risk.

• Designs, directs and manages a company-wide process of organization developmentthat addresses issues such as succession planning, superior workforce development, key employee retention, organization design, and change management.
• Manages employee communication and feedback through such avenues as company meetings, suggestion programs, employee satisfaction surveys, newsletters, employee focus groups, one-on-one meetings, and Intranet use.
• Manages a process of organizational planning that evaluates company structure, job design, and personnel forecasting throughout the company. Evaluates plans and changes to plans. Makes recommendations to executive management.
• Identifies and monitors the organization’s cultureso that it supports the attainment of the company’s goals and promotes employee satisfaction.
• Participates in a process of organization development to plan, communicate, and integrate the results of strategic planningthroughout the organization.
• Manages the company-wide committeesincluding the wellness, training, environmental health and safety, activity, and culture and communications committees.
• Keeps the CEOand the executive team informed of significant problems that jeopardize the achievement of company goals, and those that are not being addressed adequately at the line management level.

The Human Resources Manager assumes other responsibilities as assigned by the CEO.

This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by jobholders within this role of Human Resources Manager. It is not designed to contain or to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to the job.

To perform the Human Resources Manager job successfully, an employee must perform each essential responsibility satisfactorily. These requirements are representative, but not all-inclusive, of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to lead in the role of the company Human Resources Manager.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

1. Be inclusive.

We welcome and support people of all backgrounds and identities. This includes, but is not limited to members of any sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, social and economic class, educational level, color, immigration status, sex, age, size, family status, political belief, religion, and mental and physical ability.

1. Be considerate.

We all depend on each other to produce the best work we can as a company. Your decisions will affect clients and colleagues, and you should take those consequences into account when making decisions.

1. Be respectful.

We won’t all agree all the time, but disagreement is no excuse for disrespectful behavior. We will all experience frustration from time to time, but we cannot allow that frustration become personal attacks. An environment where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive or creative one.

1. Choose your words carefully.

Always conduct yourself professionally. Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down others. Harassment and exclusionary behavior aren’t acceptable. This includes, but is not limited to:

1. Don’t harass.

In general, if someone asks you to stop something, then stop. When we disagree, try to understand why. Differences of opinion and disagreements are mostly unavoidable. What is important is that we resolve disagreements and differing views constructively.

1. Make differences into strengths.

We can find strength in diversity. Different people have different perspectives on issues, and that can be valuable for solving problems or generating new ideas. Being unable to understand why someone holds a viewpoint doesn’t mean that they’re wrong. Don’t forget that we all make mistakes, and blaming each other doesn’t get us anywhere.

Instead, focus on resolving issues and learning from mistakes.

To: The Operations Manager, Boutique Build Australia

Subject: Communication of Ethics Memo

Respected Sir

The ethics and code of conduct are explained herein.

We welcome and support people of all backgrounds and identities. This includes, but is not limited to members of any sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, social and economic class, educational level, color, immigration status, sex, age, size, family status, political belief, religion, and mental and physical ability.

We all depend on each other to produce the best work we can as a company. Your decisions will affect clients and colleagues, and you should take those consequences into account when making decisions.

We won’t all agree all the time, but disagreement is no excuse for disrespectful behavior. We will all experience frustration from time to time, but we cannot allow that frustration become personal attacks. An environment where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive or creative one.

Always conduct yourself professionally. Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down others. Harassment and exclusionary behavior aren’t acceptable. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Threats of violence.
• Discriminatory jokes and language.
• Sharing sexually explicit or violent material via electronic devices or other means.
• Personal insults, especially those using racist or sexist terms.
• Unwelcome sexual attention.
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.

In general, if someone asks you to stop something, then stop. When we disagree, try to understand why. Differences of opinion and disagreements are mostly unavoidable. What is important is that we resolve disagreements and differing views constructively.

We can find strength in diversity. Different people have different perspectives on issues, and that can be valuable for solving problems or generating new ideas. Being unable to understand why someone holds a viewpoint doesn’t mean that they’re wrong. Don’t forget that we all make mistakes, and blaming each other doesn’t get us anywhere.

Instead, focus on resolving issues and learning from mistakes.

References

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Coetzer, M., Bussin, M., & Geldenhuys, M. (2017). The functions of a servant leader. Administrative Sciences, 7(1), 5.

Dion, M. (2017). Corporate citizenship as an ethic of care: corporate values, codes of ethics and global governance. In Perspectives on corporate citizenship (pp. 118-138). Routledge.

Dion, M. (2017). Corporate citizenship as an ethic of care: corporate values, codes of ethics and global governance. In Perspectives on corporate citizenship (pp. 139-141). Routledge.

Engelbrecht, A. S., Heine, G., & Mahembe, B. (2017). Integrity, ethical leadership, trust and work engagement. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 38(3), 368-379.

Engelbrecht, A. S., Wolmarans, J., & Mahembe, B. (2017). Effect of ethical leadership and climate on effectiveness. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 15(1), 1-8.

Lawton, A., & Páez, I. (2015). Developing a framework for ethical leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 130(3), 639-649.

Lindebaum, D., Geddes, D., & Gabriel, Y. (2017). Moral emotions and ethics in organisations: Introduction to the special issue. Journal of Business Ethics, 141(4), 645-656.

Mitonga-Monga, J., & Cilliers, F. (2016). Perceived ethical leadership: Its moderating influence on employees’ organisational commitment and organisational citizenship behaviours. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 26(1), 35-42.