Some scientists believe that we should start using COVID-19 tests that are far less sensitive but fast and cheap. They argue that if the low cost and speed of the test allows us to screen a person every few days, we will be better off than screening that person only once each month with a more accurate test.
This idea reminded me of the value of short and frequent messages about the importance of ethics and compliance in an organization. With every message, a manager is inviting her team to ask a question or raise a concern. An annual ethics stand-down day, complete with speakers and videos and games, can certainly send a strong message. But these events will catch most employees on a day when they don’t have a concern to raise, and leave the others unsure about whether they should speak up. How serious can a company be about ethics if they only discuss it once a year?
In almost everything we do at work, every day, there is an opportunity to cheat, steal or lie. You know that, your employees know that. Make it easy for them to ask question and raise concerns. And do so every day.
The Ethical Leader 