When is the best time to start ethics and values training? I suppose the obvious-sounding answer is, "Today at the latest!" However, if you are looking to end up with the very most effective ethics and values training, that answer may not really suffice.
The most effective ethics and values training can only happen after you have a well-developed ethics code and values statement in place. Without them, your company simply won't have adequate clarity regarding what your employees are actually supposed to learn. Obvious as that probably sounds, it's a step that far too many companies actually bypass.
Once you have an ethics code and well-written values statement in hand, at what point should you start training new employees? My suggestion is that the best time to start is in the job interview well before a prospective employee even comes to the job.
Once your ethics and values are clearly articulated, it will be extremely easy to discuss them in the interview process. See how applicants respond to them. That may be very helpful in evaluating their fit for your organization. Plus, should they come to work for you, they will already have a head start on understanding a very significant component of your culture and operating principles. Further, that initial pre-employment conversation about ethics and values can then be a touchstone and foundation on which you can continue to build via further conversations and additional formal training throughout their career with you.
Christopher Bauer helps companies create and implement high-impact, high-ROI ethics and values training programs. Information on Bauer Ethics Seminars is available at
