Acting professionally Learning objectives What does it mean

Acting professionally

Learning objectives • What does it mean to act professionally? • Why is it important? • Examples of professional behaviour • How to act professionally at all times • Our Ethics and Code of Conduct policies

What does it mean to act professionally? It means doing what’s expected of you – acting in line with our corporate values Good manners are important we must treat others with courtesy and respect I’d say it only applies in certain jobs - such as professional roles Complying with our Ethics code and any professional standards It’s about being honest and treating customers fairly

The employer’s perspective From being unreliable, to swearing and using discriminatory language, even turning up looking unkempt. All are unprofessional. Ethical behaviour. Living by our values. Doing things right. We expect everyone to comply with our Ethics and Code of Conduct policies Arriving on time. Honouring commitments. Delivering on our promise.

You make the call: Is it professional or not? We always disclose our connections with other firms upfront Professional Unprofessional It’s OK if we profit by customers making a loss Professional Unprofessional Kelly is late for work for the third time this month Professional Unprofessional

Why is it important? Ø You are our representative – the public face of our company Ø How you act - what you say and do Ø Creating a good impression

When it goes wrong Investment banker jailed 4½ years for disclosing inside information UK firms linked to child labour in quarries Lloyds Bank PPI bill rises to £ 18. 2 bn Surgeon gets 15 years for unnecessary operations Postal worker stole £ 40 k from Royal Mail to feed addiction

Universal standards • Treating others with respect • Dressing appropriately • Working safely • Treating customers fairly

Job-specific standards • “First, do no harm” (medicine) • “Obligation to the truth” (journalism) • “Treating customers fairly” (finance) • “Respecting others’ intellectual property” (creative industry)

How are expectations communicated? v Codes of Conduct - conduct standards v Industry code of practice - professional standards v Unspoken rules – “the way we do things here”

Working professionally § Take your work seriously § Be committed to your personal development § Be reliable § Adhere to rules and regulations § Give and take constructive feedback § Don’t allow your personal life to affect your professionalism § Follow our rules on personal use of IT at work

Scenario: A professional personality? Julie is just so draining. Her constant gossiping, sniping and negativity affect us all. Who is at fault here? a) Julie – she needs to be more positive b) Matt – his expectations are too high c) Both Matt and Julie d) Neither

Making professionalism part of your DNA § Accountable for your mistakes § Supportive of others § Positive and optimistic § Act with integrity § Treat others with courtesy and respect § Put your interests aside for the good of the company § Exceed expectations § Flexibility

Opinion: What do you think? I was supposed to be going to the pictures with my partner. But, when my manager asked me to stay late to ensure that the customer’s order was despatched, how could I refuse? I've been here all day. Why should I stay late just because my manager is inept and can never plan the schedule properly? No way - I'm out of the door.

Dressing professionally • The type of job you do • Your level of customer contact • The local climate • Local customs and rules

Professionalism across cultures v Global workplace v Local customs and rules v Subtleties – a corporate voice v Informality v Delineations v Constraints v Universal language

Professional communication Keep personal anecdotes to a minimum

Our Ethics and Code of Conduct Policies Ø Encouraging everyone to be a good role model Ø Setting clear expectations and values Ø Appointing people with specific responsibility for conduct at work issues Ø Creating a positive working environment Ø Investigating grievances, harassment and all policy breaches promptly Ø Requiring everyone to read and implement our related Policies

DO Be clear about our expectations of you – what is and is not acceptable Comply with our Code of Conduct, dress codes or any professional standards Uphold our values in all your dealings at work Treat everyone with respect and courtesy Report any problems or concerns immediately to your manager

DON’T § Take time off other than for authorised absences (eg a medical appointment or holiday leave) § Engage in gossip, rumour or idle chat - and certainly not in front of customers § Claim to represent our company on social media § Use your personal phone or social media at work - comply with our IT policies § Let your personal or private life adversely impact on your work

ANY QUESTIONS?

Next steps • Call _____ on _____ if you need information or guidance • Call _____ on _____ if you need to raise concerns • Access self-study courses on our e-learning portal for further training [or optionally – Complete your mandatory training on our corporate e-learning portal]