As we talked about before in this module, it’s important for project managers to work ethically. This means doing the right thing, not just following rules. There are written rules and laws, but there are also moral rules and values.
What are these moral rules and values? Let’s break it down with some explanations and examples.
Moral rules are like a list of dos and don’ts for how a person should behave. For instance, one moral rule is “don’t steal.”
Values are strong beliefs that guide how we act in different situations. They show what we think is good behavior. Values can be personal, but they can also be shared in groups like companies. When a bunch of people in the same group share these values, they shape how everyone acts in that group.
In companies, these shared values are super important. They make up the core of what the company’s culture is all about. These values are a small set of important beliefs that don’t change much, and they really influence how people act at work.
For example, The Open University (2019) has some values they believe in:
In our work, we stick to The Open University values of being inclusive, innovative, and responsive.
The value of being inclusive and innovative is a big part of what people do at The Open University. They use this value to make sure everyone can access knowledge through new and creative solutions.
Values and moral rules help everyone know how to behave in a group or at work. It’s good to think about them to understand how they affect the decisions we make when working on projects.
Think about the values your workplace or a group you’re in follows. Can you name some of these values? How do these values affect how you work on projects? Share your thoughts with other learners in the discussion below.
Ethics is very essential in the society in as much as we have Freewill we also need rules and regulations to shape Human excesses that’s why Social Contract was Established during time as man evolved during the years. Ethics in PM is to ensure that actions and inactions of workers were checkmated and to propagate so that there is free workflow and no one is acting Lackadaisical, cause then workers are aware that any misbehaviour certain laws will be meted out to them.
Ethics at the office are usually different from the ethics at the site. Project Manager interacts with both admin staffs and site staffs. Team spirit is sacrosanct in project management: staff weakness can easily be seen on site, but “team spirit” body language of the Project Manager won’t let it affect the project negatively, and the admin staffs may never know about the weak staff on site. Sometimes there can be delay in payment caused by an admin staff, the “team spirit” body language of the PM won’t allow the delayed payment discourage the site staffs, and the site staffs may never know what or who caused the delay.
Empathy is one and the other one is Team spirit. Being able to be in the shoe of the other person is important as it will help you to know how and why the person behaves or is not up to Standard.
In the organisation where I work certain core values are laid down and it guides the employees in achieving the goals of the organisation by contributing their quota for the success of the organisation
Values and Moral Principles. Using my Facility Management Company as a case study.
Certainly! Organisational values for a Facility Management company will include:
1. Excellence: Striving for high-quality service delivery and maintaining facility standards.
2. Integrity: Upholding honesty, transparency, and ethical behavior in all dealings.
3. Customer Focus: Prioritising client needs and satisfaction in facility management services.
4. Sustainability: Promoting environmentally friendly and resource-efficient practices in facility operations.
5. Collaboration: Emphasising teamwork and effective communication among staff and with clients.
These values would influence my work in projects, by guiding decision-making processes, shaping the company’s culture, and setting expectations for employee behavior. For example, a focus on integrity would influence how contracts are negotiated and how conflicts of interest are managed. Customer focus would drive decisions related to service delivery and client satisfaction. Additionally, an emphasis on sustainability would influence choices related to energy efficiency and environmental impact in facility management projects.
Some of the core values in my organizations include:
1. Discipline
2. Integrity
3. Team work
4. Accountability
5. Communication
With these core values every personnel puts in their best with the given set skill they have to deliver the work scope to standard for our client through clear communication.
In the organization where I work, we strongly believe and encourage good work ethics, one has to be honest, diligent and be ready to work with other teams to ensure the project meets its targeted goals . having good morals and values at work place is very essential as it does not only speak of the individual but it also promotes a healthy work environment
In the university i attend, character is very important and is held in high esteem as no one ia allowed to be disrespectful or disobedience. Also, a value we uphold is that everyone should work hard as the popular saying goes “there’s dignity in Labour “
In my school where I currently work as subject teacher, we have some values;
1. No child is a nonentity:
This has helped the teachers to inspire learners. It has also helped the teachers to give all the learners equal opportunity.
2. Positive reinforcement:
We’re focused only on positive reinforcement strategies which has boosted the learners confidence and reduced anxiety.
In our organization, we care about being kind, helpful, and understanding—values like Empathy, Customer Service, Team work and Compassion guide us. We believe in talking a lot to make sure everyone, both employees and employers, knows what’s happening and understands the organization’s plans. This way, we keep things clear and open. We also make sure everyone, no matter who they are, gets the same chances and opportunities. We believe in fairness for everyone.