The Dalai Lama, a religious leader in exile from his native Tibet, recently spoke in New York City in conjunction with the release of his new book, Ethics for the New Millennium. In his book he accuses 20th century man of embracing materialism. Most objective people would agree with his perception that as we approach the new millennium, materialism seems to rule the day. What one has seems much more important in today's society than who one is. There is no place where this is more apparent than on the job.

Taking an overall look at the workplace, one of the first issues to address is ethics. Webster's Dictionary defines the term as: "The science that treats the principles of human morality and duty; moral philosophy; morals." In one sense, it would seem natural that ethics and work would go hand in hand. After all, isn't it important that every employer and employee is a person of integrity? Who would want to hire a dishonest employee? Who would want to work for a dishonest boss?

According to James Patterson and Peter Kim in their book, The Day America Told the Truth, lying is rampant in the workplace. In their 1991 nationwide survey they found that 64 percent of people said "yes" when confronted with this statement: "I will lie when it suits me so long at it doesn't cause any real damage." The authors wrote, "Ninety-one percent of those surveyed lie routinely about matters they consider trivial while 36 percent lie about important matters. . The majority of us find it hard to get through a week without lying. One in five can't make it through a single day and we're talking about conscious premeditated lies."

The old saying, "Honesty is the best policy," implies that it is always best to tell the truth - to be completely honest. Sadly, in our society, one is encouraged to shade the truth sometimes out of fear. By being honest with your employee or your boss, some feel that you could put yourself in jeopardy - even legal jeopardy. At the very least you may find yourself out of the loop when it comes to a promotion, because you told the truth and not what your superior wanted to hear. This is a common perception among people in the workplace. Ask yourself these questions: If I need a day off work for personal business, what do I tell my employer? Do I tell him I'm sick?

The whole employer-employee relationship is like a minefield. There are numerous federal and state laws that govern how one must treat an employee. These include the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Executive Orders 11246 and 11375, the Federal Age Discrimination of Employment Act of 1967 and so on. Most of these laws are in place to prevent an employer from treating women and minorities differently from other employees. All employees are to be treated equally. Of course, equal treatment is often in the eye of the beholder and thus very subjective. The various laws, while no doubt helping many employees achieve their deserved rights, often make for a strained relationship on the job. What can an employer say to an employee? Will he or she be sued for sexual harassment, job discrimination or some other problem in the workplace? All of these issues make it more difficult to be an employer these days. And if everyone wants more money to get more possessions to get ahead in life, then we have an atmosphere at work that breeds less-than-honest conversation and conduct among employees and between the employer and employees.

How does all this tie into the subject of ethics in the workplace? If materialism drives an individual, then there will be nothing that is unacceptable. Honesty will be used only when it helps achieve the desired result. Yet, a person who is driven by a higher code of ethics will strive to be honest in all situations. Ultimately, who will strive to be the best employee for the company? Without hesitating, all would conclude that the honest person is the best employee. W. Michael Blumenthal, chairman of Unisys, once talked about the mistakes he made in hiring. "In choosing people for top positions, you have to try to make sure they have a clear sense of what is right and wrong - a willingness to be truthful and the courage to say what they think and do what they think is right, even if the politics militate against that," he said. "This is the quality that should really be at the top. I was too often impressed by the intelligence and substantive knowledge of an individual and did not always pay enough attention to the question of how honest, courageous and good a person the individual really was."

If we can only translate these ideas into the workplace, we will all be better off. We can increase productivity and provide a more comfortable environment for everyone. Here are three key points on how to reinforce the lesson "honesty is the best policy."

1. Strive to be honest in everything you say. If you promise something, do your best to fulfill that promise. Do not say things to make someone feel better if it isn't the truth. Do not lie by saying you are sick when you need time off for personal business.

2. There are times when nothing should be said. To be silent is not unethical. In fact, it may be the best policy. Become a good listener. Until you learn to listen, you will never learn to communicate.

3. Strive to make every action above reproach. Be guileless in your motivation. Be honest in your conduct. Don't give mixed signals to employees. Let your conduct mirror your conversation.

The Dalai Lama wrote about ethics in his new book, but he isn't the first spiritual leader to address this subject. There is another, more ancient book that has much to say about materialism and how we live our lives. In this ancient book we are told that lying and dishonesty are moral failings that will only lead to more problems. This book is the Bible. "Thou shalt not bear false witness," can be translated as, "Don't lie to your employer or fellow employees." Being truthful may not make you a millionaire, but it sure will make you a better person. And after all, which is more important in the long run?

James Franks is a pastor in Houston with the United Church of God and International Association. For additional information, visit their website at: http://www.ucg.org.