Ethical issues in the workplace have always been important. With strong feedback on employee appraisal forms, you can prevent unethical behaviors from expanding and contaminating your company. Ethical issues bring down individuals, as well as companies. Most people are aware of the damages that ethical shortcomings can wreak on a company, but many people don’t realize that a strong performance appraisal system can play a critical preventive role.
Fairness
Exceptional: Consistently exceeds expectations
Places major importance on fair treatment of all employees
Has a solid reputation as a fair and equitable leader
Has helped others truly understand fairness and how to implement it
Has made significant changes in polices and programs to eliminate unfair elements
Has a strong sense of fairness that is apparent in all decisions that he makes
Keeps fairness at the core of her decision making
Takes immediate action to remedy inequitable situations
Excellent: Frequently exceeds expectations
Treats all of his employees in a fair and just manner
Regards fairness as one of the most important criteria in all of her decision making
Leads a department that is widely regarded as a bastion of fairness
Listens carefully to employees’ concerns about fairness, and takes corrective actions where warranted
Clearly communicates standards and expectations regarding equitable treatment of all employees
Has a great deal of expertise on legal guidelines regarding equitable treatment of employees
Fully competent: Meets expectations
Ascertains that all employees are treated fairly
Takes prompt action to counsel employees who engage in unfair behaviors
Has obtained training that specifically focused on equity in the workplace
Provides employees with ongoing coaching to increase their understanding of the role and importance of fairness at work
Keeps employees fully aware of company standards, expectations, and values regarding fair treatment
Has widened the reach of many programs to provide fair access for all employees
Marginal: Occasionally fails to meet expectations
Has been advised of his unfair behaviors, but continues to repeat them
Implements activities and programs without adequate consideration of their fairness
Provides inadequate attention to inequities in the workplace
Treats workplace inequities as minor matters that do not require prompt attention
Treats the symptoms of unfair treatment, instead of treating the causes
Makes pronouncements about fairness on the job, but does not take action when issues arise
Unsatisfactory: Consistently fails to meet expectations
Plays favorites
Rationalizes that unfair treatment will make employees stronger
Treats employees unfairly, which has led to formal complaints
Is unresponsive to employees’ concerns regarding unfair treatment
Reprimands employees who voice concern about inequities at work
Makes decisions without considering how fair or unfair they may be
Is unconcerned about the unfair impact of her actions
Honesty
Exceptional: Consistently exceeds expectations
Is 100 percent trustworthy
Is widely respected for his honesty
Is regarded as totally credible by all who work with her
Completes projects that are based on honest data gathering and analysis
Is above-board, straightforward, and candid
Displays intellectual honesty in all aspects of his work
Is the go-to person for honest answers and opinions
Signs off on projects only when the work is 100 percent reliable
Excellent: Frequently exceeds expectations
Digs in and finds the right answers to difficult questions, instead of trying to bluff her way through
Has established a high degree of personal trust
Keeps her word on all matters
Is fully trusted in all she says and does
Regards honesty as a top priority in dealings with his fellow employees
Has fostered a climate of honesty within her department
Fully competent: Meets expectations
Doesn’t stray from the truth
Is a person of his word
Gives credit where credit is due
Is willing to make serious sacrifices in order to keep her commitments
Successfully establishes honest and open two-way communication with his employees
Provides honest feedback in order to help employees learn, grow, and develop
Uses honest facts, figures, and data to support her conclusions
Marginal: Occasionally fails to meet expectations
Believes that there is no problem in having a “fudge factor” in every project
Holds back highly pertinent data
Rarely gives the full story
Is inclined to bend the truth
Provides misleading updates on his projects
Excessively embellishes her accomplishments
Makes promises that he knows cannot be kept
Will say anything to get her way
Is widely regarded as being less than credible
Unsatisfactory: Consistently fails to meet expectations
Makes comments that always must be taken with a grain of salt
Gives different people different stories regarding the same situation
Caused the XYZ project to fail because of her lack of forthright behavior
Has a basic lack of honesty that has garnered numerous complaints
Produces projects and reports that always need extra scrutiny and fact checking because of questionable analyses and misleading conclusions
Takes credit for work done by others
Generates questionable results by manipulating the numbers
Is held in questionable regard by his employees because of issues regarding honesty and trust
Is frequently caught in lies
Makes up facts to support her position