Ethics in the workplace

Ethics at Work

Company Code of Ethics

The code of ethics for any company is very important, especially when it comes to conflicts of interest, sexual harassment, hiring, and firing. These are the most serious issues for most companies today, and companies want to be fair to their employees while still ensuring that all employees understand what the rules are and what they can and cannot do when it comes to appropriate behavior at work. The code of ethics for this company addresses all of these issues, and discusses each one thoroughly, in order to make sure that it is easily understood by everyone that works there. The code of ethics for a company is important for another reason, as well, and this is due to the fact that there is so much diversity in the workplace. What is acceptable in one area of the country or the world may not be acceptable in others, and therefore it is necessary to provide the employees of the company with specific rules and guidelines that they must follow when they are at work or representing their employers somewhere else, such as on a business trip or at a conference.

The decision-making that takes place in a business when it comes to ethics is also important. Those that run the company must think about what is important to them, what the laws are in their area, and what they can reasonably ask of their employees. A company that makes unreasonable demands of its employees will not be well-liked, and will have trouble retaining workers. On the other hand, a company that is too relaxed in its rules can open itself up for lawsuits, and can also find that individuals are taking advantage of the company by taking information that they have learned and going to work for other competitors, thus taking that information with them. both of these issues can be very dangerous for any company, because they can lose a lot of money, lose credibility in the marketplace, and appear undesirable to employees, customers, buyers, and sellers, as well as stockholders and others that have some stake in the company.

Strategy is a very important element in decision making, and an organization needs to know where it is going before it tries to go, especially when codes and regulations that affect everyone are being addressed. Otherwise, the company will often flounder because it had no specific vision for the future of the code. Decision making is very closely tied to conflict, in that it is often groups that make the decisions for an organization. This is especially important for companies that are involved in fields such as technology, since this field is rapidly changing and decisions that could make or break a company are literally made on an almost daily basis (Eisenhardt, 1999).

The problem-solving that a company goes through when creating a code of ethics is another significant area that must be addressed. Companies that wait until they have large problems before addressing them can be setting themselves up for financial and employee morale problems, because they do not address issues in a timely manner, and therefore employees, customers, and others feel as though they are not valued, and their thoughts and feelings are unimportant. This is especially true in issues such as sexual harassment, where an employee that makes a claim about this wants something done right away, so that the abuse does not continue. The claim should always be investigated very quickly, so that the employee feels that the problem is being taken seriously and that the company cares about its employees. These kinds of claims must be investigated properly, however, so that employee morale is not damaged and individuals are not falsely and unfairly accused.

The code of ethics should be used by everyone in the company, all of the time, to ensure safety and morale, and this code should be readily available to all employees. New employees will receive a copy with any employee handbook or other paperwork that they receive, but employees that have been with the company since before the code was implemented must also be given a copy, and preferably be required to sign a statement saying that they have received it, read it, understand it, and will comply with it. By doing this, the company can prove that it did its part in stopping problems before they start if something comes up later and an employee is accused of something, feels that he or she has been unjustly fired, or other issues that may appear in the business workplace.

The requirement of signing the code is one of the best ways to implement it because there is then proof that all employees have received it. It is important, however, to hold an employee meeting and go over the code of ethics so that employees can ask questions, clear up any concerns, and make sure that they understand the code. If the business has individuals working there that do not have English as their first language, printing copies of the code in other languages to accommodate employees will help these employees understand the code and will also show that the employer made the best and most thorough effort to ensure that everything was understood by everyone. Implementing a code of ethics is not easy, and people sometimes forget to follow the rules, so there also needs to be some leniency in the beginning, depending on the infraction that was committed. Verbal reprimands and written reprimands can be used, but serious offenses still must be treated quickly and severely to keep them from reoccurring, especially for serious issues such as sexual harassment.

Conflict has a lot to do with how diverse work groups have become over recent years, and this is definitely true where ethical issues are concerned. It was not long ago that organizational decision making groups could be expected to be comprised almost exclusively of white males, since this was the majority of the white-collar workforce. Now, both males and females hold these positions, and many are African-American or other minority racial or ethnic groups in these positions. While this makes for a great deal of diversity in suggestions and decisions, it also makes for a great deal of conflict because cultures and ideas often collide (Pelled, et. al, 1999).