Ethics in the Workplace free essay sample

Ethics in the Workplace Classical and Contemporary Ethical Philosophies Ethical philosophies served as guide for people in the workplace to make moral decisions in conducting business. There are classical normative ethical philosophies as well as contemporary ethical philosophies being used. They have been applied in the different levels or dimensions of the business organizations. People do know that there are business organizations that have disregarded ethical standards and encounters ethical issues inside their company. There are times that ethical standards or norms have to be set aside to achieve something worthwhile for the company. Lately, businesses recognize the importance of ethics to help establish the integrity of the company. The ends justify the means is the common thinking in business but in terms of ethics what is considered morally right is the one that counts. Classical normative ethical philosophies include relativism, pragmatism, behaviorism and positivism. Relativism as a philosophical doctrine pertains to the denial of ethical absolutes. In recent years, managers and workers have expressed concerns about how ethics in the workplace apply to the goals of an organization and the work of the employees. The Ethics Resource Center (www.ethics.org) assist leaders to impact their organization by identifying ethical risks and establishing systems to emphasize higher standards for business conduct. According to Joshua Joseph (2000), of the Ethics Resource Center, â€Å"in order for managers to develop a positive workplace ethics they must provide written ethics standards, ethics training, altering reward system, and make sure ethical resources are available to employees†. In this paper the writer will discuss how ethics in the workplace applies to the goals of an organizational and the work of the employees. How do Workplace Ethics Apply to the Goals of an Organization and the Work of Employees? Ethics in the workplace are viewed in the business world as an attempt to communicate its expectations and standards of ethical behavior in the workplace. In recent years, managers and workers have expressed concerns about how ethics in the workplace apply to the goals of an organization and the work of the employees. The Ethics Resource Center (www.ethics.org) assist leaders to impact their organization by identifying ethical risks and establishing systems to emphasize higher standards for business conduct. According to Joshua Joseph (2000), of the Ethics Resource Center, â€Å"in order for managers to develop a positive workplace ethics they must provide written ethics standards, ethics training, altering reward system, and make sure ethical resources are available to employees†. In this paper the writer will discuss how ethics in the workplace applies to the goals of an organizational and the work of the employees. Let’s Answer the Questions According to the Ethics Resource Center’s 2000 National Business Ethics Survey (2000 NBES), managers consistently link ethics programs to more positive organizations outcomes and increased employee satisfaction. A well developed and organized ethic program tells employees that your organization is moving in a positive direction. Ethical business practices are essential for growth, increased employee productivity, and reliable investment in a business. Ethics plays an important role in the success of an organization. Davis’ (1975) study found the following: Business managers in most organizations commonly strive to encourage ethical practices not only to ensure moral conduct, but also to gain whatever business advantage there may be in having potential consumers and employees regard the company as ethical. (p19). Ethics in the Workplace Ethics in the workplace starts at the top with management. If managers are committed to excellence and can communicate this organization will be ethical. If management chooses to mistreat and cheat employees, they can expect that to be reflected back to them and to their customers. Successful workplace ethics policies must begin with the person who signs the pay check. According to Shaughnessy (2002), â€Å"workplace ethics guidelines generally lend a moral backbone to the firm’s policies, as well as detailing the sort of professional atmosphere the company hopes to foster† (p.20). Take for example ERON and Martha Steward; both showed how ethics was not used in anyway and their action painted a realistic picture of what can happen when ethics are neglected. Establishing An Ethics Program Every organization must deal with ethics. An ethical culture is essential for optimal productivity. After all, research shows that effective ethics training lowers the rates of misconduct within an organization (Lang, 2006). In order to create an ethic program, a manager must determine goals and objectives for the program. Goals are the essential part to any training session and have critical implications. With an ethics program in place, managers can increase productivity and improve morale by establishing an ethical culture within the organization. To establish an effective program a manager must do the following: †¢Establish a code of conduct that reduces risk of criminal behavior †¢Detect wrongdoing, foster quick investigations, minimize consequences †¢Demonstrate company’s ethical/legal philosophy during an investigation †¢Reduce fines if company is found guilty of wrongdoing †¢Enhance company reputation and stature Importance of Ethics in the Workplace In todays society, ethics plays an important role in the workplace. Ethics is vital to creating the company culture of an organization. An organization uses ethics to decide how it wants to do business and how its reputation is viewed from an outsiders perspective. Good ethical practices can prevent these things from happening. While at work there are certain guidelines that should be followed to make sure that everyone feels comfortable. Ethics are followed in everyday life situations outside of work so it is normal to conduct rules within the workplace too. Good ethics in the workplace can often be the result of the personal ethics of the individual employee. An employee’s concern for their work or those they help can carry a multitude of results based on how they handle the situation (Milliage, 2005: p 14). Tips for Managing Ethics in the Workplace The primary requirement for managing ethics in the workplace is an understanding that workplace ethics is a continuous and on-going process deep-rooted to management practices, and not a deliverable defined project. It influences the way the organization functions, and remains independent of profits or product range. According to Compton (2007), â€Å"professional values and ethics are backbone of any organization and how they treat it determines their standing and reputation in any given environment† (p. 13). Listed below is a list of Compton’s (2007) guidelines for managing ethics in the workplace: 1.Communicate the companys ethics policy clearly to the employees. †¢Posting it around the office and distributing it to employees is great, but you should have regular meetings in which everyone spends some time discussing ethics. 2.Make it easy for employees to seek guidance when they need help making a decision. †¢Employees may not always be sure what the ethical solution is. †¢Its the companys responsibility to provide the resources that they need to make the right decision. †¢Someone should be available at all times with which employees can discuss these issues. 3.Create an atmosphere in which employees can trust their supervisors and know they can report violators of the ethics policy. †¢Supervisors should keep employees who report violators anonymous and not make them face penalty. †¢ Employees shouldnt feel like its their responsibility to report violations. 4.Set an example. †¢Supervisors cannot expect employees to respect them if they dont follow the rules that they set. †¢ Employees will respect their supervisors more and will likely follow their example. Ethics in the workplace plays a very important role on how success of organization goal and the work of the employees. Proper planning is important, but the effectiveness of any association’s approach also depends on characteristics that are unique to its culture, the leadership style of the executive director and executive team. Discussion of workplace ethics can raise sensitive issues, so managers have to have the proper tools in place to handle these issues.