Let’s talk integrity
LET’S TALK INTEGRITY
A man named Gibbo used to work as a clerk for Selfridges. One day the phone rang and Gibbo answered. The caller asked to speak to Gordon Selfridge, who happened to be in the room at the time. When Mr. Selfridge instructed Gibbo to tell the caller that he was out, Gibbo handed him the phone and said, ‘You tell him you’re out!’ Gordon Selfridge was absolutely furious, but Gibbo said to him, ‘Look, if I can lie for you, I can lie to you. And I never will.’ That moment transformed Gibbo’s career at Selfridges – he became the owner’s most trusted employee.
Integrity, for Gibbo, was so deeply ingrained that he disobeyed his boss without hesitation. Yes, he might have been fired, but I am guessing that Gibbo wouldn’t have wanted to continue working there anyway. In this case, however, his integrity was instrumental to his ascent at Selfridges.
Integrity
/ɪnˈtɛɡrɪti/
Integrity has been defined as the steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code & doing the right thing even when nobody’s looking.
Integrity has been defined as the steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code & doing the right thing even when nobody’s looking.
Building workplace integrity involves developing and maintaining a professional and respectful workplace. It involves ethical leadership, active management and supervision, the right people, effective processes and confident professional reporting. In essence, building workplace integrity is about creating a workplace that fosters the development of high professional standards, and demonstrates the values of the organisation. An ethical and professional workplace is the best safeguard against risks to integrity, including improper conduct, misconduct and corruption.
In his book The Millionaire Mind, Thomas J. Stanley asked 733 millionaires to rank 30 factors which led to their success. The number one attribute, “being honest with all people,” tells volumes about the importance of integrity in the workplace: it is more than living out good moral principles – it is also critical for succeeding in the business world.
Those employees with integrity are generally the ones that shine, they are the ones we want – the ones we need! These employees don’t undermine their co-workers; they are the ones that give 100% effort regardless if anyone is watching them. They are dependable and honest. They share credit and contribute substantially to a positive work environment. They are also outnumbered by the masses. By those who view a job as nothing more than that, a means to an end, a means to a salary.
Now it’s obvious, we all need great employees, because through their greatness our business becomes great. I am nothing without you. BUT, how do we find this greatness? How do we determine great from average; honest and ethical from corrupt and dangerous?
As HR professionals we have become immune to the endless job applications which land in our inbox but do we have the necessary skills to expertly identify those candidates who are genuinely honest and hold integrity true to their core in all that over engineered CV clutter? It is a highly sought after quality that cannot be found under an education or experience subsection.
A thought out integrity and screening program is essential to any effective HR recruitment or development strategy. It is generally a personal choice to uphold oneself to consistent moral and ethical standards and because of this subjectivity we are able to effectively and accurately screen for a candidate’s integrity. Upholding oneself to consistent moral and ethical standards is at the core of a candidate’s character and therefore through the application of industry leading psychometric tests that are designed specifically to assess the integrity of an individual Intellivett can provide a comprehensive, diagnostic and developmental instrument. This provides your company with a tool to measure the complex concept of Integrity and to make predictions on future behaviour and/or develop Integrity on an individualistic or corporate basis.
At Intellivett we provide an in depth assessment of your business and its environment. Through engaging with relevant role-players and stakeholders within the organisation we will identify the risks being faced by your organisation and design a customised integrity management and background screening program to be implemented. This can be applied to both current and prospective employees and will further enhance your internal compliance and risk management policies. Our background screening solutions are designed to provide an in-depth profile of the candidate which will assist in ensuring that there are no hidden surprises that could prove costly to your organisation.
So ask yourself – does the end justify the means? Does a sales rep who logs just one extra fake call a day so he can beat traffic cost that much? How about a marketing head overstating projected earnings to inflate growth projections? Does an employee calling in sick occasionally to take care of personal matters really pose such a threat? What about a financial director who believes in creative accounting? From small to big actions, your employee’s integrity is fundamental to your business ethos and ultimately define your organization.
