04/30/2018

Science Has Confirmed That Honesty Really Is the Best Policy in the Workplace

Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth

Almost every company claims they promote values of honesty, transparency and trust. However, as recent scandals have shown, what an organization claims and how it behaves are not always aligned. The downsides of dishonesty would seem obvious, but the continued prevalence in the corporate world begs the question: Why are leaders and their employees engaging in it? Is honesty really the best policy?

Dr. Robert Cialdini, author of Influence and Pre-Suasion, has spent his career researching the science of influence and its ethical applications in business. When it comes to honesty, company leaders need to know these essentials.

The state of honesty in the workplace.
Workplaces today all have policies that are intended to uphold honest and ethical business practices. In one EY study, 81 percent of C-suite executives reported that policies and codes of conduct were in place, yet over half of respondents did not believe that the people who breached them were penalized. Furthermore, unethical practices seemed to be accepted, with 5 percent admitting that they would misstate financial performance to survive an economic downturn.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Entrepreneur.