Why do we need corporate rules of conduct? Corporate rules as a tool for the formation of corporate culture The corporate code of an organization is an example.

The corporate code is the main document of the company. Find out the main mistakes that are made in it. Here is an example of a successful corporate code.

From the article you will learn:

Useful documents:

What is a corporate code for?

In modern Russian companies, you can find many varieties of corporate codes. For example, corporate governance code or code of professional ethics .

For HR, who was assigned to develop a corporate code, such a variety causes confusion and a lot of questions: “What are the differences between them?”, “Do I need to develop them all?”, “Is it possible to replace all these codes with one common one?”.

The answer to the last question will please you. Yes, you can. In fact, all codes are sections of one general corporate code of the company: values, principles, behavior, culture, etc. The answer to the second question will also be in the affirmative - yes, they all need to be developed, but these will be chapters of one document.

The expert of Sistema Kadra will tell you in detail what sections must be included in the structure and content of the corporate code

Corporate code of the organization is a document that explains how corporate values, goals and principles are interconnected, and also describes what behavior of employees is considered a reference. Therefore, it is so important to create an effective document that makes life easier for employees, managers and HR. To do this, you need to clearly understand the functions of the corporate code. There are three such functions:

1. reputation function

The presence of a corporate code in a company indicates the readiness of management to respect the rules of doing business. This forms the credibility of the company on the part of potential partners and increases the investment attractiveness of the company. In this function, the code is part of corporate PR.

1. managerial function

The Corporate Code contains a set of rules for the behavior of employees and management in standard and non-standard situations. In the event of industrial disputes, you can always appeal to the text of the code.

1. Corporate culture development function

The Code translates the main goals and values ​​of the company. A common mission, symbols and ethical principles unite the team and give meaning to its work.

An expert from the HR Director magazine will tell you which

2 main HR mistakes when drafting a corporate code

First mistake, which many HRs allow when compiling a corporate code - a violation of the hierarchy of its sections or the omission of one of them. For example, in some codes, the absence of a corporate values ​​section makes it difficult or even impossible to work on the remaining sections.

If a person does not understand the basic values ​​of the company, it will be difficult for him to explain why in this or that situation it is necessary to act this way and not otherwise.

So, the minimum set of corporate code components is as follows:

1. Company's mission.
2. strategic goals.
3. Corporate values.
4. Corporate norms and principles.
5. Corporate behavior and ethics.

Company Code

Second mistake which almost all HR allow when compiling the code is the desire to present the text in the “correct”, official business style. Then there are difficult-to-perceive constructions:

This style of presentation is sure to turn off your employees. They will read the document obliquely and forget. Remember that you are not writing for regulatory authorities, but for specific people. Try to write clearly and simply.

An example of a successful corporate code with comments

As an example, here are excerpts from the corporate code of the IT company CROC Inc. The drafters of the code approached the task with humor, but some of their statements contain common sense and may be useful.

1. Company's mission

The purpose of the existence of CROC Inc. NOT is to meet the needs of its employees. This may (but only at first glance) seem offensive, but it is. CROC Inc is not selfish company. She takes care of herself last. First and foremost, he takes care of his clients.

1. Strategic Goals

This is how CROC Inc formulated the main strategic goal of the company “making a profit”:

If CROC Inc owes something to someone, then only services to its Clients. And those in exchange for money. Even the Director of CROC Inc reads this "cynical" last phrase through tears. But despite the tears, and despite the fact that there are poor people in the city and the country, he does not order free services. And deep down in CROC Inc, everyone is grateful to him for this.

1. Corporate values

An example of one of the values ​​of CROC Inc:

CROC Inc appreciates Personalities capable of achieving great goals, despite possible difficulties and temporary inconveniences. The Company will always appreciate your desire to become one with them.

1. Corporate norms and principles

This section of the code was designed by CROC Inc in the form of "company standards". Each standard is set out on behalf of the employee. If he agrees with the statement, then at the end he must sign it, and if he does not agree, then propose a reasonable improvement or leave the company. There are 32 such standards in total. Here is an example of one of them:

I agree that the documents I have executed poorly (contracts, applications, acts, etc.) NOT should be signed, and poor quality work NOT must be paid.

1. Corporate Conduct and Ethics

This section is also designed in the form of employee statements, which must be confirmed with a signature. The brightest:

I know that the expressions listed below are prohibited for use, and accordingly I do not use them:

"The first time I've heard"

"Called, didn't get through"

“I came, but you (him, her, them ...) were not there”

"I searched but did not find"

"That was before (before me, then...)"

In the magazine "HR Director" you will find

Imagine an office where there are no rules. Workers turn up after lunch, men walk around in tracksuits, and women come to work with children or pets. Music is played in all classrooms, against which dogs yelp and children cry. Oh, what's that sound? Ahh...a chorus of people chatting on the phone.

And if there are 100 employees in the office, then it’s completely scary to imagine. What, are you already nervous? And not in vain. There is no place for an office without rules of conduct.

Examples of corporate rules

First, let's look at some illustrative examples.

Uniform at work

Imagine that you go into a cafe and order coffee with frothed milk. What kind of workers do you expect to see: neat, with branded aprons, or in casual clothes and a frayed T-shirt? The answer is obvious. The appearance of the staff leaves a lasting impression. The same goes for office workers. If sales managers, when communicating with customers, look inappropriate, this can offend the client.

Maintaining cleanliness and order

After placing an order, you sit and watch the work of the staff. You don't know how to make coffee properly, but the process is intriguing. The employee grinds the grains, forms them into a tablet, the espresso machine runs hot water through it, then he froths the milk and wipes off the remains with his apron. Stop what? It's unhygienic and just disgusting...

Likewise in the office. If clients encounter neglect of such basic rules as keeping clean, they will doubt the quality of your work.

Sticking to the rules does not require much effort, especially if you realize their benefits. What?

What are corporate rules?

New employees adapt faster

Knowing the procedures established by the company, as well as the unspoken ones established by the employees themselves, helps to quickly navigate the new team. For example, in the office it is customary to turn on the silent mode on the phone or the company obliges you to wear a suit. Being aware of such subtleties, you are unlikely to find yourself in a ridiculous situation.

In emergency situations, the team knows what to do

When the actions of employees are brought to automatism, you can be calm. If they are trained to come to work on time, they will do it even without a supervisor. The same applies to other situations. However, it is better to play it safe and not forget about the future.

Ability to quickly establish work in new offices

For example, you opened a branch and transferred some of your employees there. Thanks to corporate standards, they will be able to quickly orient themselves in a new place and get to work. After all, the rules, the requirements do not change - only the environment will change.

Avoid conflicts and fuss

Well-established rules help workers cooperate with each other. Let's look at the relationships of sales managers. For example, if someone answered the call and negotiated, they must first check the presence of the client in the database. If he was not registered with any manager before, he can be counted as one of his own.

Maintain high work efficiency

Hang the list of rules in a prominent place so that every employee has access to them. Rules should not be too many, so they are easier to remember. When your staff knows the order, they work in a coordinated manner. For example, an employee knows that a report must be completed at the end of each month. Then it will be possible to compile statistics on the effectiveness of the entire department in time at the beginning of the next one.

Maintain the image of the company in the eyes of customers

When customers see the meticulousness with which you adhere to the rules, they begin to respect you. Especially if you are always clean and you do all the work on time. A prime example is the success of McDonald's. It has long been known for the strictest corporate rules (only about 750 pages). But thanks to these rules, standards are observed in exactly the same way in all countries of the world.

However, having rules and sticking to them are two different things.

How to motivate employees to follow the rules?

Firstly, Leadership needs to be an example to others. When leaders and old-timers adhere to the rules in a company, employees have the best role model. After all, if the boss makes you dress in a suit, and he walks in jeans and a T-shirt, what kind of discipline can we talk about.

Secondly, there must be systems in place to ensure that rules are followed. These are checklists, internal codes, video surveillance systems or a computer.

What rules do you have in your office and do your employees follow them?

The largest American company "OHN", engaged in the transportation of goods and operating in the Russian market since 1984, presents its corporate values ​​in this way (document of 2002).

Business YUN.

Our business is door-to-door air express delivery of almost all types of cargo almost all over the world, meeting the following characteristics:

speed;

international coverage;

from door to door;

reliability;

safety.

Today, YIN is the leader in express door-to-door delivery in the global market.

Philosophy of the ONY company.

People are the key to the success of ONY. Employees of the company do their job, providing the highest quality of service and using the best best practices in their work.

DHL Global Values.

Customer care.

Striving for success.

Respect for people.

Openness and honesty.

The most famous company has its own code of rules for communication and behavior, developed by J. Watson Sr. during the founding of the company. He sought to embody in the activities of his organization, first of all, his personal values ​​and ideals. Subsequently, these principles were refined by his son T. Watson Jr. and now look very simple and concise.

Every person deserves respect.

Every customer is entitled to the best service possible.

Strive for excellence in everything (7).

An example of a rule system designed for company managers.

Your task is to pursue a common technical policy and solve daily difficulties.

Be attentive to criticism and improvement suggestions, even if they do not directly benefit you.

Have patience.

Be fair, especially to subordinates.

Be polite, never get irritated.

Do not rebuke a subordinate in the presence of a third person.

Be brief.

Always thank subordinates for a good job.

Do not do for yourself what your subordinates can do, except in cases where it is associated with a danger to life.

Delegating tasks to skilled subordinates always brings good results.

If what your subordinates are doing is fundamentally not at odds with your opinion, give them freedom of action.

Do not be afraid if your subordinates are more capable than you, but be proud of such employees.

Never use your power until all other means have been used, but in this latter case, use it to the fullest extent possible.

If your orders are wrong, admit your mistake.

To avoid misunderstandings, always try to give orders in writing.

The Coca-Cola Company, which has been successfully operating on the Russian market for many years, formulated the principles of its corporate culture in this way (2003).

We at The Coca-Cola Company will:

quench the thirst of our consumers;

build partnerships with our clients;

adequately reward our shareholders;

contribute to a better life in the countries where we operate.

Values.

We at The Coca-Cola Company are guided by the following values ​​in our work.

jQuality. The main task of our business is to achieve high quality always and in everything: in products, customer service, activities of all departments in the work on the market and with people.

Devotion.

Make every effort to perform your work at the highest professional level.

Teamwork. Implement best practices, support your colleagues in achieving the goals set both within one country and for the entire company as a whole, using the resources and experience of our company.

Honesty. To conduct our business openly and honestly while maintaining the highest ethical standards.

A responsibility. To be personally responsible to his colleagues for the implementation of the set and agreed goals and objectives.

People. Focus on creating such an atmosphere in the company, in which highly qualified and motivated employees are guaranteed: training, professional growth, interesting work to achieve exciting goals and objectives, mutual respect, worthy remuneration for their work and satisfaction from the results achieved.

STM Corporation, uniting three companies Sanako, MoSAD and KTF (Korolev, Moscow region).

External mission of the company.

The main motto of ALA external relations with customers and partners (the "face" of the company): "We work for you!"

Internal value system for employee relations (the "soul" of the company).

Unity - a single team, common goals and values.

Creation is the creation of material, spiritual and social values.

Stability - confidence in the future.

Basic goals of the company.

Increasing profits.

Consumer satisfaction.

Trust in the firm.

High performance.

Constant development.

Company values.

STM is an association of Russian manufacturing companies.

The team is one team.

Loyalty to the company, dedication.

Professionalism.

Awareness of oneself and everyone necessary in the common cause. The desire for understanding, trust.

Moral satisfaction.

material satisfaction.

Respect for work.

Corporate support.

Rules of business communication and behavior in a corporation.

Love and know the subject of your work.

Carefully treat and rationally use the property and resources of the company.

Remember that the overall result of the company depends on the quality of your work.

High productivity directly depends on your personal initiative.

Do not leave without a thorough analysis of a single case of failure, failure, slip.

Be willing and use every opportunity for your personal and professional self-improvement.

Every customer is entitled to the best service possible (“we work for you”).

Adopt and maintain the image of the company.

Be honest,

Do not discuss the affairs of the firm outside of it.

Do not try to do what your subordinates can do.

Do not make comments to the employee in the presence of his subordinates.

Be attentive to other people's opinions, even if they are wrong.

Don't forget to thank your subordinates for a job well done.

Be tolerant of the shortcomings of people, if these shortcomings do not interfere with the common cause.

Be always neat and tidy, do not shock with your appearance.

Respect the non-smoking majority, smoke in strictly designated areas.

Make the most of your opportunities to maintain your health.

Follow the rules and traditions of the company.

You always have the right to choose to be with us or without us.

"Service 11"

In the context of corporate training in 2003, the management and staff of the Service 11 company discussed corporate values, which are reflected in the company's "Corporate Religion".

Our product is UTR-air charter, the organization of charter flights on executive class aircraft.

Product components:

company personnel;

human values;

management;

marketing;

interactions with contractors;

database;

material and technical values;

service and flight.

The mission of the company is to provide quality business aviation services for those who value reliability and competence.

Our vision: We strive to become the most prestigious, reputable and progressive business aviation company in Russia. Slogans.

External slogan: "Harmony of luxury and necessity".

Internal slogan: "First then, first now."

Values.

Service 11 was founded in 1991, has corporate traditions and values ​​them.

We promote business aviation in general as a service, and not just Service 11.

The specialization of the company "Service 11. Business Aviation" - * "performing charter flights on executive class aircraft.

Our difference is that we are an air broker. We are not an airline, but an agency for chartering aircraft and organizing related services.

The company has effective, proven over the years, communications with airlines and aircraft owners and is highly aware of changes in the market for aircraft offers, as well as obtaining favorable contractual conditions.

We guarantee quality, reliability and competence at a fair price. Our pricing policy is not aimed at a dumping "war" against competitors. Low price is not the central idea in the sales system.

We only make promises that we can keep.

Stability, the ability year after year to maintain positions chosen once helps us to work effectively in the market.

We are not afraid of change and perceive it as a blessing.

We believe in progress. We develop and apply new technologies in business aviation.

We recognize the importance of security and confidentiality in our work, ensuring that sensitive information is not made available to third parties.

Working in a team is important for us! We value our close-knit team, support the corporate spirit and treat every employee of the company with respect.

Our workforce is one of the largest among single-line companies and contains all the necessary specialists, which helps us to meet the requirements of the market and operate at a high level.

The client is the key figure and foundation of our business. We promote attention and respect for the client. We must know everything about his preferences. The client always feels our care, reliability and professionalism.

We are guided by the rules of business communication and conduct.

Our company employs only those who share our values.

Honesty and openness are an integral part of our corporate culture.

Our advantages.

We are the first air charter agency in Russia in the field of business aviation. The company's birthday is May 11, 1991.

We are an air broker and we are ready to offer the client a much larger choice of aircraft than the airline.

We have a narrow specialization in the field of business aviation.

We own 1 !Environmental customer service technologies based on software developed in Service 11.

We have a corporate religion that reflects the spirit of the company.

In our work we are guided by:

efficiency;

confidentiality;

security.

These rules are followed by our competitors. We consider them to be the norm.

We offer the client more.

Reliability.

Competence.

Reasons why a client chooses our company.

Large database.

Favorable contractual relations with airlines and aircraft owners.

Competence of employees based on two decades of experience.

Integrated security system.

Narrow specialization.

Flexible system of discounts.

Working for a company is important to us!

In external and internal interactions, we use "We", not "I" and "I personally".

To achieve our goals, we strive to be one step ahead. We constantly monitor all changes in the business aviation market. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of collecting, preserving and multiplying information by company departments.

We regularly train employees.

Corporate events are held to strengthen the team spirit and consolidate the company. Mytishchi City Design Workshop

We work for those who appreciate beauty and reliability!

Mytishchi city design workshop has been successfully operating on the Russian market since 1992.

The corporate policy of the company is aimed at providing modern comfort in the homes and on the streets of Russian cities, at meeting the market needs for high-quality design products.

The workshop is proud of the projects implemented.

Our goal is to meet the highest customer requirements!

The employees of the Workshop are always looking for new technical solutions that keep pace with world ideas and standards.

The workshop guarantees the best value for money.

The high quality of the design products of the Workshop is ensured by the constant updating of the production and technical base and the use of the latest design technologies.

The company employs experienced professionals and young specialists, professional continuity is ensured - an alloy of experience and youth.

We, the Management and staff of the Workshop, have defined our corporate mission in the Russian market: we create comfort in space.

Our projects will glorify you!

We respect competitors and highlight our advantages.

We carry out the full scope of design work from concept to working documentation.

We are capable of a wide range of designed facilities: from housing to industrial facilities.

We carry out orders of any complexity!

In work we show efficiency, flexibility, fast and positive reaction to the wishes of the customer.

In our projects - eccentricity of solutions.

We produce quality products and on time.

We have common beliefs that are reflected in our goals.

Constantly improve the quality of projects - there are no limits to perfection!

Become leaders and innovators in the field of architecture.

To create a complex project quickly, efficiently, reliably, in conditions of fair competition.

Increase the base of regular customers.

Always have a complete portfolio of orders.

Where do unsustainable corporate laws come from? As a rule, they are stolen on the Internet by a lazy manager.

A sensible, fair corporate constitution is the fruit of long, meaningful work. But today it's not about her. We will talk about the awkward "freaks" that prevent us from living.

So, QCs are different:

1. For appearance

The first mistake is a misunderstanding of the meaning and purpose of the birth of the corporate code. Or rather, a misunderstanding of what is primary. If business does not strive for order on its own, legislative creativity will not help. Dangling in the ocean of managerial chaos, the “corporate code” is a completely meaningless, stupid and even harmful thing. It creates the appearance of something that is not really there.

However, such codes are also dear to their creators. They are created just for the sake of appearance. With the same success, you can hang charms or Chinese bells in the office. It is believed that all this paraphernalia also "protects" its owner from the evil eye, staff turnover and rapid ruin.

Hoping that a "decorative" code will save the company from confusion and vacillation is at least naive. Better to believe in amulets. Unlike the code, they do not require reliance on reality and common sense.

2. Out of line

Anyone who wants to have the most realistic code is also not immune from mistakes. Wanting is not the same as being able to. You can get confused in the concepts of "corporate code", "corporate culture" and "corporate philosophy". Like in a forest of three pines, so similar in appearance.

In conditions of superficial copying of useful (and useless) foreign experience, these concepts, which have quite definite meanings in developed business cultures, are often used as synonyms in our country. In fact, the most dangerous thing is to prescribe in the code everything that seems to you the corporate culture of the company.

Example: in St. Petersburg, in one large near-cultural institution, male bosses developed an unusual tradition. Each win of "Zenith" three activists celebrated the generous "simple" female part of the team. Once it occurred to someone to regulate the spiritual impulses of the fans. A person responsible for collecting money was appointed, an agreement was concluded with a decent diner. But for some reason, the former joy was gone.

Fortunately, the activity quickly subsided, and everything returned to its usual course: football for men, cognac and caviar sandwiches for women. Strictly after that, Zenit became champions.

3. Carbon copy

How to write a code? The easiest way is to take a set of corporate laws of some successful company as a model and skillfully rework it to fit your needs. This is done for attractive investors, often on the eve of decisive negotiations. But talent is not enough for everyone. That is why a bunch of meaningless heaps appear that regulate work in completely different conditions.

Taking someone else's code for your company, even slightly revised, is a common mistake. Such codes are among the first to die: they are terribly far from the people. As already mentioned, it is necessary to start not with codes, but with the development of a coherent company management system, which includes internal and external PR tools. It is important that the employees of the company themselves participate in the process of creating the code, only in this case they will consider it their own.

Example: Most American codes seek to protect women from sexual "harassment". In domestic companies, by and large, there is no such problem. Russian office divas for the most part are far from feminism. They will only be glad for the attention of a handsome colleague or an unsympathetic boss.

4. Slogans from a dusty shelf

Another common mistake is to make a warehouse of unnecessary slogans out of your code. Such documents are like crudely crafted advertisements.

Example: “Our company has achieved public recognition”, “Our team is a friendly, close-knit team”, “Our company provides socially important services”. Not very convincing - and not always true.

Codes created as a tool for managing external reputation are especially guilty of dogmatic standards. For example, recently the social responsibility of business has become a popular topic. Now commodity companies do not forget to mention their concern for the environment. In many corporate manifestos, curtseys are embodied both in front of the authorities and in front of clients. “The highest quality of work” and “financial stability” are the most popular mantras. All this, of course, is not from a good life: the wording and slogans of the times of the "scoop" again came to court, for lack of better ones.

However, the Five Year Plan for Efficiency and Quality is resurfacing from the past. Whoever remembers that quality and that efficiency will smile bitterly.

5. Strangers do not go here

There are also other ideological errors. For example, the question of "military secrets".

Making the corporate code public or keeping it in a “black box” is the free choice of the head of the company. There are examples of different attitudes: from absolute transparency to the same complete secrecy. And here, any extreme can be a mistake.

So, if you already decide to post the code on your site, you should not leave it in its original form. You do not want everyone to know what color of tights is prescribed for your employees. Information about how you charge staff for all sorts of specific violations in the workplace is also not for prying eyes. Or, for example, some delivery companies invade the personal field of couriers, forbidding chewing gum during work. One of these companies posted the code on the corporate website, which amused many customers.

However, it would be wrong to make a big, big secret out of the document. The more secrecy you wrap around it, the greater the temptation to find absurdities in the code and pass it on in secret - to the whole world.

6. Top class

For a law to be enforced, it must be enforceable. Meanwhile, the creators of codes often prescribe impossible or incomprehensible rules. This happens when the management and the team live on different planets.

Example: the codes of some companies are similar to the code of laws of a valiant samurai. Thus, employees of a large company N are required to "come to work on time, in a cheerful mood." They must also "offer their work overtime if the success of the project depends on it." Employees must “immediately inform management if colleagues, on or off the job, speak unfavorably about company policy.” Doesn't this remind you of anything?

7. Not funny!

Is there a place for a healthy joke in the corporate code? Even if you think not, attentive readers will always find something to laugh at. Should I give them a reason? - No one will say yes, but such things happen by themselves.

Here are excerpts from codes created exclusively for fun:

“Irrigation of corporate flowers is allowed from 10:00 to 10:05 with a one-minute break to add water to the watering can”;

“The management of the company allows meetings of staff over a glass of beer only if the above beer is used in combination with noble fish products”;

“It is not allowed to confiscate for the undivided personal use of other people's ashtrays, coffee, tobacco products and teaspoons”;

“An employee has the right to arrange his own workplace in accordance with his professional, religious and taste preferences. If you need green floppy disks, a dot matrix printer, a Leonardo DiCaprio poster, an anti-radiation cactus, etc., please make an inquiry. All necessary equipment is purchased at the expense of the company”;

"Management of a firm cannot forbid employees to work 20 hours a day."

8. Who are the judges?

Executives in the heat of corporate lawmaking often forget about the legal side of the issue. In theory, nothing prevents the employer from developing internal regulations that regulate the rules for the work of personnel. And if the requirements enshrined in them are not met, he can impose a disciplinary sanction on the employee. For some violations, you can even be fired. In practice, however, it is quite difficult to enforce compliance with these acts other than through exhortation.

Punishment of an employee for non-compliance with the internal rules of business etiquette, moral and ethical standards, dress code, etc. courts often consider it a violation of labor laws. Thus, Article 192 of the Labor Code (LC) states that a disciplinary sanction can only be applied for violation of labor duties. At the same time, it will be extremely difficult to prove that, for example, a neat haircut of a personnel manager is his job duty. In addition, the employee must be familiarized with local acts before signing an employment contract, although often in practice the opposite happens.

Law of maturity

So, all the biggest nonsense with corporate codes comes from a misunderstanding of why this is needed. Does your company even need to prescribe what, over several years of work, has developed into a corporate culture and (at the very least) philosophy? By honestly answering this question, many mistakes can be avoided.

It is believed that a strong corporate culture in the company is always a plus. It attracts and motivates employees, makes it possible to use their potential more efficiently, and therefore ultimately contributes to the growth of economic indicators. And whether or not to formalize corporate culture in the form of a code is a matter of taste.

However, when a company outgrows the barrier of several hundred people, it becomes almost impossible to convey its laws to them without the help of the code. So a serious corporate code is a sign of business maturity.

Doubt

Igor Tikhonkov, manager of the St. Petersburg branch of Avangard Joint-Stock Commercial Bank:

We can add the ninth mistake of the corporate code: too detailed code can harm the business. An employee sometimes does not want to take responsibility for the decision made and, even worse, take the initiative, assuming that his actions may not fully comply with the clause or letter of the corporate code or ethics. I would also like to add that we do not have many companies that have a corporate code. Most often, I guess about the existence of such a document in the organization, if a slogan that defines the mission hangs in a conspicuous place. I think that the corporate code in most firms is almost a closed document. When communicating with the heads of large firms, they never mentioned the existence of such a document in their organizations, although it certainly existed.

Have you ever thought about what distinguishes a successful, dynamically developing company from hundreds of small outlets, where sales remain at a low level for years? Every successful organization has a corporate standard. It is he who provides the company with a positive image in the eyes of partners.

Does every organization need a set of rules?

There is an opinion among novice businessmen that standards are suitable only for large companies, whose leaders find it difficult to keep track of the actions of employees. It is believed that it is too early for the team of a new, newly created firm to establish rules of conduct. Why?

• It is still unclear how to attract potential customers and what actions will lead to increased sales.
• The staff of a small outlet is always in sight: mistakes can be corrected in the process.
• The corporate standard is usually developed by training companies, and their services are expensive.
• Candidates for sales positions may be put off by the rigid rules in a small business. After all, the salary at the initial stage is small.

Does this mean that it is better for a new firm to do without corporate standards? The answer to this question in each individual case can be both positive and negative. Of course, it is difficult to set rigid rules for employees when the staff of a small firm consists entirely of family members or close acquaintances. But it happens that the level directly depends on whether a small business will survive at all.

For the owner of a small shop, cafe, beauty salon, it is best to stick to the golden mean: strict standards are not set, but there are a number of requirements that must be observed.

What can be said about large and medium-sized enterprises that have already occupied a niche in the market? It would seem that they live easier. Such firms sell high-quality goods that are in demand. They have established advertising, and there are effective ways to attract customers. Does a business that is already successful need a corporate standard? Let's look into this issue.

There are not isolated cases when a potential client comes or calls a company known to him in order to make a purchase. Can the deal fail? Yes, if the buyer is not served properly. An untidy office, an always busy phone, low-skilled salespeople, difficulties in making a purchase, the unwillingness of managers to meet halfway ... It is worth admitting the presence of one of these problems - and the buyer will give preference to competitors.

In addition, each employee, whether he is a sales manager or a branch director, has his own ideas about how to serve customers: what style of communication to choose, how much time to allocate for a conversation, how to motivate a visitor to make a purchase.

If the company has a corporate culture standard, each employee knows exactly how he should behave in different situations. Moreover, employees of the company are interested in using the best business practices in communicating with customers. Due to this, decision-making time is reduced, unnecessary chains of approvals are removed. Customers, in turn, develop a positive opinion about the company.

Thus, a corporate standard is needed by a company to ensure:

• high level of service;
• customer loyalty;
• brand awareness;
• increase the credibility of the company in the market;
• facilitating the decision-making process;
• save energy, time and money.

What issues does the standard cover?

For successful work, it is not enough to build corporate standards related only to direct communication with customers. Indeed, in the daily activities of the company's employees there are many other slippery moments:

• how effectively colleagues interact with each other, how often disagreements arise between them;
• whether the working day is built effectively;
• how things are prioritized.

Therefore, when implementing a corporate standard at an enterprise, it is important to take into account the following elements:

• appearance of employees;
• organization of the workspace;
• activities, procedures in complex and conflict situations, norms for the efficient use of working time;
• rules of communication with clients;
• social responsibility of the company and its employees;
• laws for top management.

Consider each component of the corporate standard.

Appearance of managers

Many companies set rules for how front office employees, that is, managers who are directly involved in serving visitors, should look. Shoes, hair style, the presence or absence of accessories, makeup, and jewelry are regulated.

A strict dress code has been introduced, for example, in the Megafon mobile communications company. The corporate standard requires that employees who work with clients dress in a "white top and black bottom" style. Managers should have a bright green silky scarf around their neck. Female employees are allowed to apply light natural makeup. Bijouterie and jewelry are excluded: only a wedding ring and discreet earrings can be worn. The footwear of the manager of the cellular company should be strict and closed. A badge with the name of the employee is compulsorily attached to the chest. A similar dress code is adopted in banks and large corporations.

Appearance standards for employees of restaurants, hairdressers, fitness centers, and retail stores are set in a completely different way. In fashion beauty salons, administrators at the reception desk, hairdressers, manicurists, as a rule, are distinguished by elegant hair styling, tattooing, and original nail design. With their appearance, they inspire clients to take creative care of themselves. Women, noticing how stylish the employees of the salon look, are imbued with a desire to visit it more often.

In many retail stores, sales manager uniforms are chosen according to the type of merchandise on the sales floor. It looks interesting, for example, when sellers in a toy store are dressed up in costumes of fairy-tale characters.

Workspace organization

The corporate standards of the company regulate the interior decoration of both the zone and premises for official use (offices, rest rooms, latrines).

In organizations with a large branch network, requirements for the interior of the premises are established:

• what color should the furniture be;
• how to place furnishings;
• in some cases, it is prescribed (especially if we are talking about IT companies), which brands of office equipment and stationery are allowed to use.

The corporate standard also dictates the permissible arrangement of objects on the surface of the desktop: how the computer should be placed, where to put writing utensils, how many documents can be “in plain sight” at the same time.

Professional performance standards

Depending on the goals and objectives of various categories of employees for each position, the following is determined:

• what type of tasks should the company's employees give the highest priority to;
• how to plan a working day;
• what principles to follow in daily activities.

Norms of internal corporate etiquette and procedures for dealing with conflict situations are also being standardized. It is mandatory to specify how often an employee can take breaks from work, whether he can go outside the office at the same time, how long lunch time lasts, whether smoking is allowed during the day.

Rules for communicating with clients

This area in many firms is given the most attention. The corporate standard defines:

• which of the company's employees is involved in the customer service process;
• what rules should be followed when meeting with buyers in the company's office and "in the fields";
• how to make outgoing and receive incoming phone calls: after which signal to pick up the phone, what words, expressions, phrases to use in a conversation.

Social responsibility of the company and its employees

Corporate responsibility standards are also of great importance. Entering the market, the company accepts the working conditions dictated by society:

• sells quality goods that are useful to consumers;
• works based on the principles of honesty, legality, humanism, respect for the dignity of people;
• takes part in protecting the environment from harmful influences.

Each employee must have a clear understanding that he is the face of the company in which he works. His actions have an impact not only on the financial results in the balance sheet, but also on the business reputation of the company. Therefore, the rules of behavior of employees are established taking into account the standards of corporate responsibility.

Rules for the work of first persons

For large organizations, corporate governance standards are of particular importance, indicating how the firm should be managed. When developing these rules, the interests of shareholders, customers, partners of the company and its employees must be taken into account. Corporate governance standards indicate what principles the general director of the company and his deputies must be guided by in their activities. They include a description of the organizational model of the enterprise, the system of internal reporting, ways to control the activities of top management. Of the international corporate governance standards, the most well-known systems are PMBOK, ICB and ISO.

Stages of implementation of new orders

In large organizations, the rules are developed and implemented by professional training companies. However, many owners of small firms, using open sources of information, themselves quite successfully think over the system of customer service and put it into action.

Professional development of corporate standards includes the following steps:

• Analysis of the current situation. It is important to assess from the point of view of an outside observer how efficient the workflow is, what can be improved. Professional companies often involve "mystery shoppers" for this purpose. A specially hired and trained employee comes to the office or trading floor of the company and plays the role of a client. As a rule, he secretly records negotiations with sellers on a dictaphone, and at the end of the meeting fills in a checklist: what he liked about the service and what he didn’t. The owner of a small business can conduct the observation himself or ask acquaintances to "inspect" the enterprise. Based on the results of the audit, it is important to identify the positive aspects and disadvantages: what attracts customers to your company, and what makes them doubt and leave without making a deal.
• Development of standards. The corporate rules of behavior for employees, the organization of the workspace, and the requirements for the appearance of front office managers are prescribed step by step. At this stage, it is important to take into account all the significant details that affect the future prosperity of the company or its failure.
• Employee training. The corporate standard is being implemented and put into action. Employees of the firm, especially account managers, are explained the rules that must be followed.

• Checking the result. It is important to analyze the effect of the implementation of standards: whether they have a positive impact on sales volume, the depth of relationships with customers, whether they lead to profit growth.
• Adjustment of standards. In the process of work, many shortcomings and rough edges of the new enterprise management system can be identified. They should be monitored regularly, especially in the initial stages. This is helped by repeated visits of "mystery shoppers", as well as receiving feedback from customers and employees. If deficiencies are identified, work is carried out to correct the errors - making changes to the existing standards.

Conclusion

It is important to note that too zealous, verbatim adherence to the rules of the company by employees in some situations can be harmful. Compliance with the established norms should not lead to unnatural, illogical, from the point of view of common sense, behavior of employees, their inattention to the needs of customers. When implementing a corporate standard, you should proceed carefully, observing the principle of gradualness.