Plagiarism In the Workplace: Why and How to Avoid It
Plagiarism is not acceptable anywhere, let alone in the workplace. In order to avoid trouble and make sure that your work is professional, you should be checking for plagiarism before submitting your tasks.
Not only can plagiarism affect your career, but it can also make you look bad in front of your colleagues. No matter what topic or area you could plagiarize in, you must (again) understand that this is not acceptable, and it will get you in trouble.
Just highlighting this again to make sure you got it. Holding yourself to a high standard is a must in the professional world.
Why is Plagiarism Bad?
Believe it or not, plagiarism is a form of theft. It is indeed not physical theft, but it’s intellectual property that you’re stealing. Imagine how you would feel if someone at work would steal your ideas and claim them as their own to advance their career. It would be unacceptable, and you might not forgive them.
In the student world, plagiarism equals cheating. In the workplace, plagiarism equals a lack of trust and credibility. If you do it once, you might as well do it again – so your coworkers might start to second guess your trust. If your team does not trust you, how will you collaborate and be part of the projects you’re involved in?
Qualifications and hard work should be recognized. If you’re stealing someone else’s qualifications, you are not being fair to yourself or others, and you’re not recognizing your colleagues’ work. On an ethical level, this is also wrong.
What Tools Can You Use to Avoid Plagiarism?
Here are some of the best plagiarism tools to use. Read the descriptions and pick the one that fits you best. Some of them are free while others might have to be purchased.
- Dupli checker
Users might complain about Dupli checker’s interface, but they really shouldn’t because this is a great app. Yes, some interface features could be modified, but all in all, this is an effective plagiarism detector. It’s free of charge and it’s really easy to use.
- Copyleaks
This tool can be used for both education and business. It is usually used by SEO specialists and publishers to determine if their work is on point. By using copyleaks, you can get access to many tools (for example, API) and check for plagiarism on the go.
- Plagiarism checker
To check your content for plagiarism and ensure that your text is plagiarism free, you could also use this online plagiarism fixer. Many professional writers use it, so it’s a great app to have and use when needed. Plus, you get to rewrite text as you need and ensure that your work is one hundred percent original. Don’t forget to teach your team about what online plagiarism free resources they could use. Holding this information in is not fair to your team, so play fair and square and be a great leader.
How Can You Avoid Plagiarism in the Workplace?
Here is a short guide on how you can avoid plagiarism in the workplace. Check it out and let us know if you’d like to add something; we’d love to hear from you.
- Define boundaries to avoid plagiarizing. Call a team meeting and have each one of your coworkers define plagiarism. In the end, define very clearly what everyone finds acceptable/unacceptable and write down these rules. Share the content with all of your colleagues. Make sure you tell everyone that what is not acceptable in this summary is considered plagiarism.
- It’s time to show your coworkers that they can trust you. So, lead by example and make sure you are sticking by the rules. Do not plagiarism under any circumstances.
- If the rules are not clear for everyone, hold training sessions on plagiarism and have everyone attend them. A seminar is always helpful, especially in these types of scenarios.
- Congratulate everyone at work for being open about your new rules and have them address any concerns they might have. Make sure you’re rewarding your team if you’re the project manager.
- Last but not least, use online tools to avoid plagiarism in the workplace. Check out the content above to learn more about that.
Wrapping Up
Make sure you know the rules of plagiarism in the workplace and explain them thoroughly to your team. If they need more exposure, organize seminars or online meetings. Make sure you are a responsible project manager, lead by example. Also, ensure that your colleagues respect you by avoiding plagiarism at any cost. Use the online plagiarism tools to check your work and others.
