Scheming will not take you far

What you need to know:

Act professional. It is only those employees who fail to account for their actions at work who will end up blaming colleagues for their misfortunes, thereby resorting to evil schemes, writes Dorcus Murungi.

In 2015, there was tension between the political leadership and civil servants of Luwero District over allegations of witchcraft.
A witchdoctor in Rakai confessed to having been hired by the district Finance Officer to bewitch colleagues and cause their death in order to stop the ongoing investigations into his academic qualifications.
When the witchdoctor’s concoctions failed to work, the aggrieved employee then reported the matter to Police. This revelation created tension and jeopardised working relations in Luwero.
While it may seem dramatic and unbelievable, employees in other areas have found themselves caught up in similar situations where colleagues lean on charms in order to secure their jobs or to fight off competition for a particular position in the company.

The reality about work
According to Lucy Asiimwe, a Human Resource Manager at Ministry of Public Service, people need to stop focusing on myths in relation to work.
She says for one to succeed in their work, they need to follow work ethics and be hardworking.
“To succeed at your place of work, you do not need to use evil means, you just need to be professional, follow work ethics and above all concentrate on your job,” she says.
She notes that the reason why people resort to evil means at work is that they do not play their part well.
She adds that a company’s ethic helps to shape the behaviour of its employees. “When a company values integrity, fairness, and honesty, every aspect of the business often improves,” she explains.
Legitimate ways to succeed at work include;

Practice of self-control
Henry Kibirige, a human resource manager at Integrated Development Initiative says self-control is important at work. He says it is the employees that have no self-control who often want to practice evil.
“When challenging situations arise, employees who can control their emotions and actions exhibit ethical behavior in the workplace. Self-control prevents difficult situations from escalating into conflicts that disrupt workflow and threaten staff morale,” he says.

Integrity Practices
Kibirige also says that it is important for employees to practice integrity.
He explains that integrity requires the courage to do what is right despite popular opinion. “Employees who practice integrity in the workplace support what is morally right and what the business represents to its staff and to its customer base,” he says.

Professional accountability
According to Asiimwe, workers need to take responsibility for their actions as a major factor for workplace ethics and behaviour.
“ When workers adhere to professional ethics, it means showing up on scheduled workdays, as well as arriving on time and putting in an honest effort while on the job. Workers who exhibit accountability are honest when things go wrong and they work towards a resolution while remaining professional all the time,’ she says.

Dedication and Commitment
Asiimwe says ethical and behavioural guidelines in the workplace often place a high amount of importance on dedication.
Although possessing the necessary skills is essential, a strong work ethic and positive attitude toward the job will go a long way. Dedication is often viewed in the business world as contagious, meaning employees who make a strong effort can often inspire their co-workers to do the same,” she says.