Put your company’s standards for behavior, honesty and respect in one clear document.
A code of conduct tells employees how the company expects them to behave, and tells them what to do when something seems wrong. It works best when it is short and specific to how your business actually operates.
For shift teams, honest timekeeping deserves its own section: clocking in for others or recording time not worked is a common problem that a clear rule prevents.
13 items. Keep it on a tablet, or print a copy for the clipboard.
A security firm’s code includes a timekeeping section: employees clock in and out themselves, never for a colleague, and report missed punches the same day. During onboarding, each guard reads it and signs the acknowledgment.
A written code gives managers one standard to use when deciding discipline, which supports consistent treatment across employees. In a dental office it also reinforces HIPAA privacy obligations, which apply to patient information that staff see every day.
| Values | Patients first, honest records, respect for each other; Redwood Family Dental, Eugene |
|---|---|
| Timekeeping | Clock in at your own station; report missed punches to Marisol the same day |
| Gifts | Patient gifts under $25 shared with the team; cash never accepted |
| Confidential information | No patient names or photos on personal phones or social media |
| Relationships | A supervisor dating a direct report tells the office manager |
| Reporting concerns | Marisol, office manager, or Ken, owner |
| Acknowledgment | Signed by Paige, hygienist, Mar 3 |
The relationships line asks only for disclosure, not a ban, which suits a 12-person office where couples may already work side by side. The $25 gift limit gives staff a clear number to point to when a patient brings something to the front desk.
Not generally, but it is a common practice.
A few pages.
Yes, an acknowledgment helps.
No. It summarizes and points to them.
Only where off-duty conduct affects the job, such as threats toward coworkers or sharing confidential information. Some states, including California, Colorado and New York, protect lawful off-duty activities, so a broad rule about private life can conflict with state law.
Most small businesses do not ban it, but they ask that a relationship between a supervisor and someone they manage be disclosed so reporting lines can change. Keep the rule about disclosure and fairness, not about anyone’s private life.
More for the same job
Send the form through EZTime, collect an e-signature, and keep it in a digital employee file that reminds you when documents expire. Book a demo to see it with your team.