Code of Conduct

Use this customizable PeopleGoal Code of Conduct template as an outline for your company’s employment policies. The PeopleGoal Code of Conduct describes terms for conflicts of interest, attendance, dress code, internet and social media usage, interoffice relationships, and visitors. Simply adjust the information in the brackets to suit your company’s needs.

Conflict-of-Interest Policy

Conflicts of interest occur when an employee, contractor, or job applicant’s personal interests may not align with company needs or interests. If an employee uses their position for personal gain, engages in activities that will increase competitor profits, or acts in ways that could compromise the company’s legal position, these behaviors are considered conflicts of interest.

Conflicts of interest may also occur during the hiring process. To prevent conflicts in the hiring process, employees are not allowed to recommend family members for positions within their own departments. All job applicants must apply the same way, through the applicant tracking system platform, before being interviewed.

If an employee feels that a conflict of interest is likely to occur, that employee is instructed to discuss conflicts with General Counsel. General Counsel is responsible for monitoring potential conflicts in the workplace, and working to prevent them. In the event that conflicts cannot be prevented, employees are instructed to work with General Counsel to mitigate risks and exposure to the greatest extent possible.

In general, personal and financial interests should be kept entirely separate from activities that may oppose the company’s interests. Violation of the conflict of interest policy may result in suspension or termination.

Attendance

Attendance is a standard measure of job performance. Punctuality and regular attendance is expected of all employees. Employees with excessive unexcused absences or repeated tardiness may be subject to a negative performance review or termination of employment.

Attendance will be discussed at performance reviews in an attempt to measure an employee’s commitment to position, and to determine if they are well suited for the position they hold.

All absences must be reported to the Human Resources Manager and the Department Manager, and recorded on the PeopleGoal platform. When reporting an absence, please specify the nature of the absence and whether vacation days or paid time off (PTO) will be used.

Dress Code

The office is a professional setting and professional business attire is required. The company expects that both men and women adhere to a professional dress code. On a normal day, employees are expected to wear pant or skirt suits. All employees are expected to demonstrate good judgment when selecting work attire. Clothing should not reveal much skin, cleavage, or other body parts.

Jeans, flip-flops, sandals, or uncollared shirts are prohibited. On casual dress days, it is acceptable to wear khakis with collared shirts or slacks and skirts with uncollared blouses. Under no circumstances is clothing with writing permitted. Brand logos on clothing are allowed, permitting that they are not offensive.

Internet and Social Media

Social media, which may include apps like Snapchat or Instagram, or other Internet networking applications like Facebook, should not be used during work hours except as it relates to business. Employees who spend inappropriate amounts of time on personal social media accounts during work hours will be subject to poor performance reviews.

Although social media should not be used at work, employees are expected to handle their personal social media accounts appropriately outside of the office. Employees should always work to ensure that their personal accounts clearly state that their views do not represent our organization. Employees should never share any intellectual property, or the status of any of their assignments on social media.

When representing the company, employees should always be respectful and avoid speaking in specifics about their work. Employees should never post discriminatory, offensive, or other illegal language on social media. Employees must always correct or remove statements posted to their social media that are made on behalf of the company.

Relationships

The company does not prohibit personal relationships between employees of the same level. However, this company prohibits relationships between junior and senior employees. Employees are expected to maintain professionalism in the workplace regardless of the status of their relationship.

In the event that employees begin a new relationship, the Human Resources Manager must be notified. The Human Resources Manager may ask employees to fill out a waiver that establishes the nature of the relationship and a start date for the relationship.

During work hours, employees are expected to behave in a way that does not distract colleagues from their duties, take away from work hours, or create a hostile work environment. Employees that exhibit inappropriate behavior in the workplace may be subject to disciplinary action.

Workplace Visitors

Workplace safety is very important to us. As employees receive visitors on the premises, our company wants to ensure that visitors are not a threat to the workplace, do not distract from workplace focus, and are not exposed to danger. All visitors are required to register their entrance at the reception desk.

Personal Visitors

Employees who receive personal visitors must greet their visitors and stay with personal visitors throughout their visits. Personal visitors are allowed in the lobby or in restroom areas without an escort. Inappropriate behavior by personal visitors, including engaging in offensive speech, causing disruption in the workplace, or stealing company property, will not be tolerated. Personal visitors that behave inappropriately may be asked to leave the premises.

Professional Visitors

Occasionally, clients, contractors, or service vendors may need access to the office. The receptionist is responsible for receiving clients, contractors, or service vendors and ensuring that they are safely escorted to the proper place. The receptionist is also responsible for handling all of the deliveries that are brought to the office, and ensuring that they are properly stored and given to the correct person.

Solicitation Visitors

Visitors that enter the property in order to solicit sales or gather donations are only allowed as personal visitors. For example, children of employees that would like to collect donations or make sales may be permitted in the workplace. Permission for solicitation must be granted by the Department Manager.

Disclaimer: The PeopleGoal Policies are general templates and should only be used as a basis for company policies. Please take into account all local, state, and federal laws when drafting your company’s final policies. This is not a legal document or a contract, and PeopleGoal will not assume any legal liability associated with the use of this document.