Voluntary Following Of Ethics Policies Is Better Than Forcing Employees To Be Ethical

Managers used to believe that compliance officers were required to enforce strict fairness and ethics policies. Managers used to spend large amounts of money on surveillance and oversight mechanisms to ensure employee compliance. Today’s best managers know that voluntary employee compliance is a better strategy, and more cost-effective approach. The same processes that managers need to use to obtain voluntary employee compliance also tend to result in higher levels of employee extra-role behaviors and citizenship behaviors, which is good for the company.

Source: Tyler, T., Dienhart, J., & Thomas, T. 2008, Winter. The ethical commitment to compliance: Building values-based cultures. California Management Review, 50, 31-51.