DHML FOURTH QUARTER TRAINING WEEK

DHML FOURTH QUARTER TRAINING WEEK ADMIN DEPT LECTURE ON: ORGANIZATIONAL ETHICS, RULES AND REGULATIONS Delivered by: Maryam H. Sabo 24thOctober, 2013

INTRODUCTION 1. An organization is a socialentity where two or more persons work together to achieve a collective goal. The word is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon which means "organ" which is a compartment for a particular task. There are a wide range of different organizations

within our social structure that allow our society to function and fulfill their public duties. These social duties could be in the areas of health, education, religion, security, etc. Also, an organization could be private or public in outlook depending on its mission, goals and objectives.

2. In any organization, there must be people who work as a whole for a common purpose, so there must be a defined purpose. If an organization does not have any purpose, it will not survive in the long run. To achieve organizational purposes, procedures must be put in place to guide the conduct of its humanresources.

Therefore, for these goals to be achieved, some rules and regulations must be put in place for the human resources (the people working together in an organization, their experiences, talents etc.) to conduct themselves in a particular ethical manner in order achieve a common objective which is already defined by the organization. This leads me to the topic of the day which is ORGANISATIONAL ETHICS, RULES AND REGULATIONS.

AIM 3. The aim of this lecture is to acquaint ourselves with some organizational ethical values, rules and regulations with particular reference to Defence Health Maintenance Limited (DHML).

SCOPE 4. This lecture will cover but not limited to the following: a. Organizational Ethics b. Important Rules and Regulations in DHML c. Comparative analysis of DHML Rules and Regulations with other Organizations

ORGANIZATIONAL WORK ETHICS 5. In any organization, work ethic is a value which is based on hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in the moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character. A strong work ethic is vital to a company achieving its goals. Every employee, from the CEO to entry-level workers, must have a good work ethic to keep the company functioning at its peak.

Therefore, a work ethic is a set of moral principles an employee uses in his job. Richard Pryor – in his book titled “The Company and Law” (published in 1989) referred to work ethic as a branch of philosophy that addresses the questions of morality through a set of behavioral guidelines.

Also, The Chambers Diction (Vol. XIII- 2012 Edition), defined work ethic as “a cultural norm that advocates being personally accountable and responsible for the work that one does. It is based on a belief that work has intrinsic value and reward”.

6. The term “work ethics” often applied to characteristics of people, both at work and at play. In a corporate organization for example, good work ethic is frequently mentioned as a characteristic of a dedicated staff while in sports; it refers to a good player.

Regardless of the context, work ethic is usually associated with people who work hard and do a good job in their chosen profession. Understanding ethics in the workplace is of utmost importance, as the congregation of people from myriad strata and cultures makes the environment volatile and subject to unnecessary differences, which can hamper productivity and lead to irreparable damages.

This is because a workplace is a cluster of individuals, where an amalgamation of attitudes and imaginations exists, which often leads to a diluted understanding of ethics. Thus, in civilized environments, work ethics are not left to the sole interpretation of man because moral attitudes vary from one individual to the other.

7. The following factors come together to create a strong work ethic: a. Integrity. Integrity stretches to all aspects of an employee's job. An employee with integrity fosters trusting relationships with clients, coworkers and supervisors.

Management value the employee's ability to give honest feedback. Clients trust the employee's advice. Supervisors rely on the employee's high moral standards, trusting him not to steal from the company or create problems.

b. Sense of Responsibility. A strong sense of responsibility affects how an employee works and the amount of work that is does. When the employee feels personally responsible for his job performance, he shows up on time, puts in his best effort and completes projects to the best of his ability.

c. Emphasis on Quality. Some employees do only the bare minimum, just enough to keep their job intact. Employees with a strong work ethic care about the quality of their work. They do their best to produce great work, not merely churn out what is needed. The employee's commitment to quality improves the company's overall quality.

d. Discipline. It takes a certain level of commitment to finish your tasks every day. An employee with good discipline stays focused on his goals and is determined to complete his assignments. These employees show a high level of dedication to the company, always ensuring they do their part.

e. Sense of Teamwork. Most employees have to work together to meet a company's objectives. An employee with a high sense of teamwork helps a team meet its goals and deliver quality work. These employees respect their peers and help where they can, making collaborations go smoother.

f. Respect. Treating people with respect - irrespective of creed, race, gender or position - is very important. Showing respect to your superiors at work is also vital for the Company’s operation since authority comes from them. In addition, you need to have an immense amount of respect for the work you do, as opposed to being paid for simply existing in an office.

Lack of respect makes for a chaotic workplace, where the quality of work is far below expected standard. Employees who walk into an office with a sense of ignorance or fear can never give their 100% to the job, no matter how high the financial remuneration might be.

RULES AND REGULATIONS 8. In every community or group, rules and regulations are inevitable. When these rules make sense, they contribute to the overall performance and joy of life within the people. But when there are no rules or when the available rules make no sense, chaos, anarchy and disorder will prevail.

According to Niccolo Bernardino Machiavelli in his book “The Prince” (published in 1532); “Rules are made by man, in the interest of man and ultimately to be broken by man; in the absence of rules, the strong do as they will, while the weak suffer as they must; a lawless man is more dangerous than a keg of gunpowder”.

Similarly, Thomas Hobbs in his book “The Leviathan” (published in 1651) posited that; “ Rules and law are made to; quench the fear of the powerful whose main desire is to protect their possession; for a people to maintain order. In the absence of rules and law to check the inherent excess of man, order and prosperity is a mirage. In a lawless environment, life is nasty, brutish and short”.

9. From the above postulations by two renowned philosophers, it is evident that for a society to prosper or for a Company to achieve its goals and objectives there must be rules and regulations to govern the relationship between human and material resources, or else there would be lawlessness, disorder and chaos.

Rules and Regulations in any organization are templates for the attainment of good work ethics by employees. Rules and Regulations structure the activities of the employee in such a manner that would bring the best out of him. Total adherence to Company Rules and Regulations with minimal personal effort evokes good work ethics.

10. A Company whose staffs have good work ethics is more likely to achieve its goals and objectives compared with the one with a work force made of nonchalant or laissez-faire employees because the environment would be too disorganized for any constructive achievement. In other words, rules and regulations are put in place in different environments to structure the behavioral and moral conduct of people.

Rules and regulations are designed to coordinate activities of people within a work place and structured in harmony with the organization’s goals and objectives.

RULES AND REGULATIONS EXPLAINED 11. What are rules and what are regulations? Rules and Regulations are two words that are often misused since they appear to mean the same. Strictly, they do not mean the same. There are in fact some differences between them in terms of their usage and connotations.

One of the main differences between rules and regulations is that by rules you restrict and by regulations you controlcertain procedures. By ‘traffic rules’ you tend to understand that you should follow certain restrictions when it comes to moving in a traffic. By ‘traffic regulations’ you tend to understand that the traffic is controlled by certain procedures.

12. A regulation can become a legal rule. For example, a regulation issued by a Local Government or an administrative agency becomes a legal rule when it is backed up by the relevant laws. It becomes a restriction that has legal force and implication when breached.

On the other hand, a rule is traditionally defined as “an established and authoritative standard of principle; a general norm mandating or guiding conduct or action in a given type of situation”. It is important to note that in legal translation, the word ‘regulation’ is used to denote a set of rules that have legal connotations. Regulations are official in use whereas rules are not.

Another way of differentiating regulations from rules is that regulations are a set of standards that must be followed at any cost. These standards will not change. On the other hand, rules are followed for the betterment of a workplace or to address a concern. Rules are at times transgressed. Regulations cannot be transgressed for that matter.

SOME SALIENT FEATURES OF DHML RULES AND REGULATIONS 13. Defence Health Maintenance Limited (DHML) is a Limited Liability Company which was established by the Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters and the three Services (i.e., Nigerian Army, Navy and the Air force) as a military Health Maintenance Organization (HMO).

It was established by the NHIS Act 35 of 1999 and incorporated by the Corporate Affairs Commission in 2005. DHML was accredited by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 2006 with HMO Code 022.

14. The primary objective of the Company is to complement the military Medical Services in ensuring that the military personnel and family have access to comprehensive, high quality health care through regular disbursement of funds and materials to health care providers and regular monitoring of standards of health care delivery in the Armed Forces.

15. In order to achieve this objective, Management coordinates human and material resources available to it in a civilized manner. The interaction between employees and material resources as well as amongst employees is governed by a set of rules and regulations which were established by the Company.

The Company rules and regulations clearly spell out how these interactions should be conducted, with a reward/reprimand system for hard work or indiscipline respectively. This Policy Document dictates the conduct of staffs within the office premises from the day of employment to the point of disengagement.

Due to time constraint, we would be acquainted on only a few salient provisions in the DHML Rules and Regulations handbook. The selected ones are as follows;

16. Attendance: Employees must be ready to start work at the stipulated time and must not leave their work during business hours without permission. Employees must ensure they clock in not later than 8: am and clock out not earlier than 5: pm every working day except on Fridays when clocking out time is not before 4: pm.

No employee of the Company or any other person is allowed to clock in/out or sign the day’s attendance book for any other employee. Any such act is regarded as serious dishonesty and offenders will be punished accordingly.

17. Absence from Duty :Absence from duty without permission is a serious offense and will be regarded as a breach of contract. Offenders will be punished accordingly. 18. Conduct: Employees are not allowed, while they are on the Company’s premises; a. To bring or consume alcoholic drinks b. To smoke

h. To read during working hours, newspapers, books or other publications that are not relevant to the Company’s operation i. To make use of the Company’s telephone unless it is for the Company business j. To remove, deface, cover or otherwise damage any notice pasted on the Notice Board

k. To use Company’s equipment for private jobs l. To make noise in the office, or argue unnecessarily in the premises m. To physically assault or fight another employee or any person within the Company premises

n. To gossip or carry unauthorized information from one place to another o. To breach the official channel of communication.

19. Confidential Information. Any facts, figures or other information regarding the Company’s business which may come into employee’s possession during the course of his duties, are to be regarded as strictly confidential, and must not be disclosed to any unauthorized person(s) without the express permission of the MD/CEO.

20. Criminal Offence. Where an employee is convicted of a criminal offence (other than minor offences) he shall be dismissed instantly. In Addition such an employee shall be handed over to the Police for appropriate action.

21. Dressing. Employees are required to wear moderate and decent dresses during working hours. In all cases, every employee’s dress must be neat, smart and businesslike. No casual dress is allowed at any time during working hours except on Fridays when Company branded T-Shirt and cap are permitted.

LEAVE MATTERS 22. Annual Leave. Annual leave with full pay will be granted to all established members of staff who have completed six months continuous service after the first appointment. Leave will be arranged at a time convenient for the Company and will be granted as follows subject to the exigencies of service:

a. Junior staff (GL 02 – 06) - 21 calendar days b. Senior staff (GL 07 – Above) - 30 calendar days

DHML FOURTH QUARTER TRAINING WEEK