Did you know National Goof Off Day is observed in March? As the name implies, this is a day dedicated to "goofing off" a chance to take a deep breath, sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself. It also means doing something fun, and if possible, leaving work until tomorrow.
On the serious side: When is goofing off not ok? How do I know if I am on ethical or compliance "thin ice?"
Ethical And Compliant Behavior
If you are worried about whether your actions will be discovered, if you feel a sense of uneasiness about what you are doing, or if you are rationalizing your activities on any basis (such as perhaps the belief that "everyone does it"), you are probably on ethical or compliance "thin ice." Stop, step back, consider what you are doing, get advice and redirect your actions to where you know you are doing the right thing.
On the lighter side: How to Go about Goofing off including an Important Disclaimer and Warning
If you are going to "goof off" during normal business hours, we suggest making sure you are in compliance with your organization's Human Resources Policies and Procedures. If you are going to "goof off" at home, we recommend making sure you are in compliance with your significant other's policies and procedures. In fact, this would be a good time to review Personal Policies & Procedures (P&P). Typically Personal P&P are not formalized in writing; most are assumed or merely established by habit. All too often this leads to misunderstanding and relationship termination or at least a good fight and then an extended period of silence. Warning: written personal P&P also have a serious side effect. It is called commitment. Be aware of this when crafting any personalP&P.
As you can tell, this is us Goofing Off. Please keep in mind that the Ethical and Compliant Behavior as noted in our Serious Side is definitely an important portion of any compliance program. If you have any questions about managing or engaging in Ethical and Compliant behavior in your organization, please reach out to [email protected] or call 855.427.0427.