CHAPTER:1INTRODUCTION

It is important to recognize that ethics does not apply only to oneself it

also applies to others. In the workplace those others are the individual
employee as well as the stakeholders not just the shareholders
Howethicalareyou?Doyouknoweverythingemployeeethicsinvolves?Itsmore
crucialthanevertohaveanethicalworkplace,andyoushouldknowhowtohandle
commonethicaldilemmasyoumayface,bothonandoffthejob.Essentially,you
needtodevelopandrefineyourowncodeofethics.
Its very difficult to define ethics in the workplace. Generally, being ethical
involves conducting yourself in accordance with accepted principles of right and
wrong. Ethics is a matter of using integritybased decisionmaking procedures to
guideyourdecisionsandactions.Intheworkplace,beingethicalmayinvolveacting
morallyright,beinghonest,notcheatingyouremployer,coworkers,orcustomers,
notstealingfromthesupplycloset,andgenerallytreatingyourcoworkerswell.
Otherethicalsituationsmayinvolveharassment,inappropriateuseoftheInternet,
outsideofworkactivities,etc.
Weprobablyalreadyhaveavagueideaofwhatethicsentails.Yougenerallyknow
thedifferencebetweenrightandwrongandprobablyknowtherearecertainthings
youshouldneverdointheworkplace.However,althoughsomeissuesmaybeblack
andwhite,lotsofethicalissuesinvolvegrayareas.Doyouknowwhatsomeofthese
issuesare?Canyourecognizegrayareasituations?
Employee ethics are extremely important to your employer thats why your
employer gave you this booklet, Basic Training for Employees: Ethics in the
Workplace.
1.1WhatdoEthicsintheWorkplaceConsistof?

EthicsintheWorkplace
1

Theapplicationofmoralprinciples,standardsofbehavior,orsetofvalues
regarding proper conduct in the workplace as individuals and in a group

setting
Ethicsallowyoutodistinguishthedifferencebetweenrightandwrong

TheEssentials
Everycompanyisdifferentbuttheyallshouldtakethefollowinginto
consideration:

Trustworthiness
Respect
Responsibility
Fairness
Caring
RelationshipsandEthics

Ethicsappliestoanyrelationshipbetweenthefollowingindividuals:

Management/Supervisors
Colleagues/Employees
Customers
Communication is key among management, employees, and customers in
orderforrespecttobeextendedtoeachpersonwithintheorganization,and

promoterelationshipsthatarebasedonhonestyandintegrity
Becautioustocrossthelinebetweenpersonalfriendshipsintheworkplace
andprofessionalism

1.2-Good Workplace Ethics

ExampleofGoodethics:
Staying productive
Be accountable for your actions
Take initiative
Think critically to be able to solve problems
Blowing the whistle
Be punctual
Stay positive
Stay professional
Take pride in your work

Immediately attempting to correct an issue

Set the example

How to Encourage Good Ethics in the Workplace

Fair consequences
Fair treatment
Recognition
Communication (be clear and consistent)
Have office policies
Transparency
Trainings
Have plans of action
Constructive feedback

Benefits of Good Ethics in the Workplace

Loyalty
Desirable work environment
Produce results
Build good references
Good office morale
Growth and expansion
Recognition

1.3-Poor Ethics

Example of poor ethics:

Illegal practices
Stealing
Ignoring procedures and policies
Abusing confidentiality agreements
Falsifying information
Making decisions for your own personal gain
Lack of communication
Withholding information
Poor Ethics
Poor customer services
Gossiping
Abusing computer privileges
Ignoring problems
Blackmail
Lying
Bribes
Taking on roles that are not under your job title
Being unpunctual; poor attendant

 Rationalization by the Wrongdoer

Attempt by wrongdoer to justifying why they acted a certain

way:
Everybody does it Its not part of my job description Nobody

is going to notice I dont get paid enough

Unrealistic expectations of what the job entails

Consequences of Poor Ethics in the Workplace

Stricter rules
Fewer privileges
An undesirable work environment
Stunts growth and productivity
Causes a domino affect among other colleagues
Potential job loss Potential closing of the organisation

CHAPTER:2IMPORTANCEOFETHICSINWORKPLACE
2.1THENEEDFORETHICS
If your workplace lacks ethical standards, your employer risks losing valuable
employees and customers and possibly even more. Federal laws impose heavier
penaltiesonemployersconvictedofcriminalwrongdoingiftheycannotprovethat
theyve made efforts to implement ethical measures to prevent and deter illegal
conduct.
Someoftheprimaryformsofemployeemisconductorunethicalbehaviorincludethe
following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Misrepresentingtimeorhoursworked;
Lyingtosupervisors;
Lyingtocoworkers,customers,vendors,orthepublic;
Misuseofyouremployersassets;and
Lyingonreportsorfalsifyingrecords.

Asyoucansee,thereisawidespreadneedforethicsinyourworkplace.Acodeof
ethics can provide guidelines for your conduct and help improve the overall
atmosphere of your work place. Your employers workplace ethics policy deters
employee misconduct, avoids conflicts of interest, helps keep you and your co

workershonest,providesyouwithguidelinesforresolvingsensitiveissues,andhelps
makeclearthatallemployeesareresponsiblefortheirunethicalbehavior.
2.2YOURROLEINETHICS
Neverunderestimatetheroleyouplayinimplementinganethicalworkplace.You
may be surprised to learn that you are responsible for policing ethics in your
workplace.Thismeansyoumustbeeducatedandinformedonyouremployersethics
policyandcodeofconduct.Youmustalsobevigilantinwatchingoutforethical
violations.
Thinkaboutitasbeingpartofyourjob.Thatsrightitspartofyourjob.Itsnot
just your bosss job and not just the role of your HR department or upper
management. Much of the burden for preventing ethical violations falls on you
becauseasanemployee,youreinastrongpositiontoknowifanethicalbreach
occurs.Afterall,youoftenworkverycloselywithyourcoworkers,whichmeansyou
may be in a position to witness their ethical dilemmas or breaches when your
supervisesoresarenot.
Yourenotexpectedtobeapoliceofficer,judge,andjuryallinone,butyouare
responsible for helping to create and main train an ethical workplace, and this
bookletisdesignedtohelp.Throughyourreading,youlllearnwhatworkplaceethics
covers(hint,morethanyoumaythink),whatactionsareethicalandunethical,and
howtoreportpotentialviolations.
2.3TheBenefits&ImportanceofEthicsintheWorkplace
The Ethics Resource Center reports that non-unionized employees
perceive stronger ethical cultures within their organizations than
their unionized counterparts. The non-profit organization also
reports that young workers are more likely to perceive weak ethical
cultures within their companies than older ones. Managers also tend
to

value

stronger

ethical

cultures

than

employees

in

non-

management positions. It is your duty as a manager to incorporate

and manage a

strong

ethical culture

within

your

business.

Workplace ethics are significant to your business and provide

numerous benefits.

CHAPTER:3WorkplaceEthics&Behavior
Workplace ethics and behavior are a crucial part of employment, as
both are aspects that can assist a company in its efforts to be
profitable. In fact, ethics and behavior are just as important to most
companies as performance as high morale and teamwork are two
ingredients for success. Every business in every industry has certain
guidelines to which its employees must adhere, and frequently
outline such aspects in employee handbooks.

Behavior
Allcompaniesspecifywhatisacceptablebehavior,andwhatisnot,whenhiringan
employee.Manyevensummarizeexpectedconductinjobdescriptionsorduringthe
interviewprocess.Behaviorguidelinestypicallyaddresstopics,suchasharassment,
workattireandlanguage.Workerswhodontfollowcodesofconductmayreceive
writtenandverbalwarnings,andultimatelybefired.

Integrity
Akeycomponenttoworkplaceethicsandbehaviorisintegrity,orbeinghonestand
doingtherightthingatalltimes.Forexample,healthcareemployeeswhoworkwith
mentallyorphysicallychallengedpatientsmustpossessahighdegreeofintegrity,as
thosewhomanageandworkprimarilywithmoney.Workerswithintegrityalsoavoid
gossipandsneakinesswhileonthejob.
Accountability
Taking responsibility for your actions is another major factor when it comes to
workplaceethicsandbehavior.Thatmeansshowinguponscheduledworkdays,as
wellasarrivingontimeandputtinginanhonesteffortwhileonthejob.Workerswho
exhibit accountability are honest when things go wrong, then work toward a
resolutionwhileremainingprofessionalallthewhile.
Teamwork
Avitalaspectoftheworkplaceisworkingwellwithothers.Thatincludeseveryone
frompeerstosupervisorstocustomers.Whilenotallemployeeswillalwayslikeeach
other,theydoneedtosetasidetheirpersonalorevenworkrelateddifferencesto
reachalargergoal.Inmanyinstances,thosewhoarenotconsideredteamplayers
canfacedemotionoreventermination.Ontheotherhand,thosewhoworkwellwith
others often can advance on that aspect alone, with teamwork sometimes even
outweighingperformance.
Commitment
Ethical and behavioral guidelines in the workplace often place a high amount of
importance on dedication. Although possessing the necessary skills is essential, a
strongworkethicandpositiveattitudetowardthejobcancarryyoualongway.Plus,
dedicationisoftenviewedinthebusinessworldascontagious,meaningemployees
whogiveastrongeffortcanofteninspiretheircoworkerstodothesame.
Organizationsthatsupportethicsinitiativesconsistentlyshowmoreproductivityand
employeeretentionthanorganizationsthatconsidercorporateethicsmerelyanissue
ofcompliance.WorkplaceAnswers'EthicsintheWorkplacecoursehelpsemployees
confrontreallifeworkplacebehaviorandfamiliarizesthemwithCodeofConduct
7

andethicspolicies.It'strainingdesignedtohelpemployeesunderstandtheirpersonal
obligationsandtheconsequencesofviolations.

3.1- The Value of Ethics in Business

An ethical corporation is not an oxymoron: in fact it can be very successful. A
companythatconductsbusinessinanethicalmannerengendersrespectfromwithin
thecompanyandfromoutside.Employeeretentionishighatcompaniesthatpromote
ethicalbehaviors.Consumersdemonstratebrandloyaltytocompaniesthatexhibita
strongsenseofcorporateresponsibilityandstewardship.
The need for corporate ethics is strong. In a marketplace of unfair competition,
underhanded practices, and consumer distrust, the company that emerges with its
integrityintactbecomesapreferredconsumerchoice.
Ethics from the Top Down
Thechallengeforcorporationsistotranslatetheirmissionstatementintoaneveryday
modelemployeescanusefromtheboardroomtothefrontline.Thatswheretraining
fromWorkplaceAnswerscanhelp.Ourethicstrainingclassesridgethegapbetween
missionstatementandcorporatepractice.
Our interactive, engaging online ethics training is designed to help employees
understandtheircriticalroleinmaintainingcompanyprinciples.Realworldscenarios
challenge the learner to examine common behaviors and practices, and forecast
unfortunateconsequences.Theyaskemployeestogobeyondcompliance,tolookat
thelargerissues,whilestillkeepinganeyeonthebottomline.
Preparing for any Problem
Ethicstrainingpreparesemployeestorespondappropriatelywhenquestionableissues
crosstheirpath.WorkplaceAnswersmodulescoveravarietyofscenarios:

Supplier relations

Privacy and data protection

Recognizing and preventing money laundering

8

International trade control and financial transactions

Improper payments and gifts

Complying with competition laws

How and when to report concerns regarding business conduct

An ethical company is only as strong as its weakest employee.

Assure your staff understands and applies your ethics policies
with preventative ethics training from Workplace Answers.

CHAPTER:4ETHICALISSUESATWORKPLACE
4.1MajorEthicalIssuesemployeesfaceintheworkplace
Between 1994 and 2000, the National Business Ethics Survey found
that the number of organizations with formal ethics training had
greatly increased. As more organizations are finding that ethical
training helps business owners run an effective workplace, the
importance of understanding what ethical issues business people
face has increased.
1. Employee Behavior
From large corporations to small businesses, individuals involved in all types of
businessoftenfaceethicalissuesstemmingfromemployeebehavior.Forexample,
whetheranemployeecanspendworktimecheckingpersonalemailaccounts,howa
managerdealswithclaimsofharassmentandtowhatextentamanagercan"groom"a
certain employee for a promotion are all examples of ethical issues regarding
employee behavior. There are legal consequences for some unethical employee
behavior.Forexample,ifasupervisordiscriminatedagainstanemployeebasedon
her gender, religion or ethnicity when making recommendations for a promotion,

legal action could be sought. Small business owners can help to prevent ethical
problemsstemmingfromemployeebehaviorbydraftingaclear,attorneyreviewed
setofstandardsthatdictatebehaviorpoliciesforemployeesatalllevels.
2.EmployeeWorkingConditions
Inadditiontoemployeebehavior,thereareanumberofethicalissuesbusinesspeople
mustconsideraboutemployeeworkingconditions.Forexample,employersmustbe
aware of the safety of their work environment and if they have compensated
employeesforallthetimetheyhaveworked.Themustalsoconsideriftheyhave
requiredanemployeetoworkanunreasonablylongperiodoftimeoriftheyhavehim
doing anunusuallydifficulttask.Justlike there arelegalconsequences forsome
unethicalissuesregardingemployeebehavior,therearealsolegalconsequencesfor
unethicalworkingconditions.Forexample,anemployerwhorequiresanemployeeto
work without pay or who creates an unsafe working environment can face legal
action.
3. Supplier/Customer Relations
Inadditionemployeesandbusinessownersmustconsidertheethicalissuesinvolved
with their relationships between suppliers and customers. Business owners in
particularmustconsiderwhetheritisethicaltodobusinesswithsupplierswhohave
unethicalpractices.Whendealingwithcustomersorclients,businesspeoplemust
ensurethattheyusetheirinformationcorrectly,donotfalselyadvertiseaproductor
service,anddonotintentionallydosubstandardwork.
4. Small Business Ethics
Althoughthereareethicalissueslikediscriminationthatapplytoallareasofbusiness,
eachbusinessareahasitsownethicalconcerns.Forexample,businesspeoplewhoact
asconsultantsmustensuretheyaregivingsoundadvice.Intheareaofsmallbusiness,
somemajorethicalissuesresultfromhiring,firinganddealingwithemployees.For
example,conflictsofinterestmaycauseethicalissuesinsmallbusinesses,especially
iftheyarefamilyrun.Whenpersonalfamilyissuesinterferewithbusinessdecisions,
thisisaconflictofinterestandanethicalconcern.

10

4.2-Top Ethical Issues Facing the General Business Community

Disparate industries across the United States face many of the same
ethical dilemmas. These ethical issues cover a variety of issues such
as employee pay rates and discouraging harassment in the
workplace. Companies choosing to confront these ethical dilemmas
may earn the praise or ire of consumers depending on the policies
these companies adopt.

Accounting Practice Ethics

In the wake of corporate scandals involving unethical accounting practices from
publiclytradedcompanies,includingEnronandTyco,manyconsumersarejustifiably
distrustful of investing in businesses. The federal government responded with the
SarbanesOxley Act in 2002 to mandate new financial reporting requirements to
protectconsumers,thoughwith90demonstratorsarrestedduringthe"OccupyWall
Street"protestin2011,itwouldseemtoindicatedistrustandangerstillpersistsat
time ofpublication,accordingto the"Financial Times"website.Accountants and
financial advisers must avoid skirting ethical boundaries when making financial
reportstothefederalgovernmentandinvestorstohelprepairthewideriftbetween
businessinvestmentandconsumers.
Social Networking Ethics
Commentsregardingemployersorcoworkerspostedonsocialnetworkingwebsites
are costing employees jobs across the country. The ethical and legal challenges
surroundingtheuseofsocialmediaanditsconsequencesintheworkplaceaffectsthe
businessindustryasawholebecauseemployersacrossthenationaresettingpolicies
regardingemployeeuseofthesewebsiteswhileworkingandevenwhattheseworkers
cansaywhenofftheclock.AccordingtotheBusinessEthicswebsite,asof2010
software developer Cisco Systems Inc. even has a program, Cisco SocialMiner,
designed to help employers monitor their employees' social network site status
updates,forumpostsandblogpostsinrealtime.Thelinebetweenanemployer'sright
to monitor employees and an employee's right to privacy can easily blur in this
climate.

11

Harassment in the Workplace

Maintainingprofessionalworkplacerelationshipsbetweenemployeesisacontinuing
challengeforemployersregardlessoftheindustry.Thischallengecanbecomemore
difficultwhentheimagecompanieschoosetoprojecthasasignificantsexualcharge.
Thiscreatesanethicaldilemmaaboutwhatimagescompaniesusetosellproductsand
theconductexpectedofemployeesintheworkplace.There'sneveranexcuseora
justifiablereasonforharassmentofanykindinanyworkplace,thoughawillingness
tousesexuallychargedimageryinadvertisingmayindicateaworkingclimatewhere
harmfulbehaviorscanoccurwithcostlylawsuitsresultingfrompermissiveclimates,
reportstheBusinessEthicswebsite.
Paying Employees Equally
Even though federal and state laws require workers to receive equal pay for
performing similar work regardless of gender, race, age, ethnicity, disability or
religion, the problem still persists in many industries. According to the National
CommitteeonPayEquity,asof2010a$10,784gapinannualsalarystillpersists
between men and women nationwide. The ethical dilemma arises when some
companieschoosetomenhigherwagesthanwomenwhileatthesametimeespousing
messagesofequalityandfairplay.

4.3-Common Ethical Workplace Dilemmas

Mostpeoplespendagreatdealoftheirweekdaysattheirofficesorjobsites.It'snot
surprising, then, that employees face ethical dilemmas there. Several of these
dilemmaspopuponaregularbasis.Withsomecommonsenseandabitofanalysis,
employees can resolve common workplace dilemmas without losing their jobs or
bringingharmtotheiremployer.
Conducting Personal Business on Company Time
Becauseemployeestendtospendsomuchoftheirweekdayhoursonthejob,they
oftenaretemptedtoconductpersonalbusinessoncompanytime.Thiscaninclude
setting up doctor's appointments on company phone lines, making vacation
reservations using their employer's computers and Internet connections or even
makingphonecallsforafreelancesidebusinesswhileoncompanytime.
12

Atfirstglance,thisethicaldilemmaisfairlyclear:Itisanabuseofyouremployerto
conductpersonalbusinessoncompanytime.Butthereareshadesofgrayhere.What
ifyourspousecallstotellyouthatyourchildrenareill?IsitOKforyoutoschedulea
doctor'sappointment?Agoodruleofthumbisforanemployeetocheckwithhis
manager or human resources supervisors to clarify what counts as an actionable
offenseinthecompany.
Taking Credit for Others' Work
Employeesoftenworkinteamstocreatemarketingcampaigns,developnewproducts
orfinetuneservices,yetrarelydoeseveryoneinagroupcontributeequallytothe
finalproduct.Ifthreemembersofafivepersonteamdidallthework,dothosethree
membersdemandtoreceivepropercreditwhilepointingoutthattwomembersofthe
teamdidnotpulltheirweight?
Thisisathornyquestion.Ifemployeessingleouttheircoworkersinanegativelight,
itcouldfomentresentment.Thesamethingcouldhappen,however,ifallemployees
acceptequalpraiseeventhoughonlyaselectfewdidtherealwork.Thebestwayto
resolvethisethicaldilemmaistonotletithappen.Teammembersshouldinsistthat
allemployeesperformspecifictaskstohelpcompleteaproject.
Harassing Behavior
Employeesoftendon'tknowwhattodoiftheyseeoneoftheircoworkersharassing
anotheremployee,mentally,sexuallyorphysically.Employeesmayworryfortheir
jobsiftheyattempttoreportasuperiorforharassment.Theymayfretthatthey'llbe
labeledatroublemakeriftheyreportcoworkerswhodisplayinappropriatebehavior
towardotheremployees.
The best way to resolve this ethical dilemma rests with the staff members who
developthecompany'semployeehandbook.Itistheirjobtoincludespecificlanguage
thatspellsoutthatemployeewon'tbepunishedforreportingtheharassingbehavioror
inappropriateactionsoftheircoworkers.

13

CHAPTER:

5-

ROLE

OF

HUMAN

RESOURCE

MANAGEMENT
HRS ROLE IN CREATING AN ETHICAL WORKPLACE
Aristotle famously counseled that rather than always seek the ideal, a virtuous
person or culture will strive to attain the mean between too much
And too little. Too much moral courage turns into self-righteousness. Too little
moral courage turns into cowardice. Workplaces in which employees seek a
balanced, pragmatic approach to living out their ethical values develop cultures
of character that make ethics practical, attainable and adequate to the complex
challenges of modern work.
Perhaps the most important point for HR professionals to understand is that
good work can only be sustained in an ethical workplace culture. Work that
is of excellent technical quality, that is ethically pursued and socially
responsible, and that employees find engaging and enjoyable exists reliably
only in organizations that pursue a culture of character. understanding of their
duties and obligations toward owners, investors, the community and the
natural environment. Management expresses those beliefs and values in
systems, policies and practices, which are in turn scrutinized for their
adherence to the organizations values.

14

CHAPTER: 6- HANDLING ETHICAL ISSUES

6.1- How to Make Ethical Decisions

Review the goal

Look at your options
Determine the consequences
Make the correct decision
Be objective
Set the example
Avoid conforming to the norm

6.2-How to Handle Ethical Issues in the Workplace

Moralityandvaluesbaseddilemmasintheworkplaceare,atbest,difficulttohandle
whenemployeeshavetochoosebetweenwhatsrightandwhatswrongaccordingto
theirownprinciples.Forwardthinkingemployerswhoimplementworkplaceethics
policiesareusuallywellpreparedforthepotentialconflictsofinterestthatarisedue
tothediversityofopinion,valuesandcultureintheworkforce.However,handling
ethicalissuesintheworkplacerequiresasteadyandcautiousapproachtomatters
whichcanpotentiallybedangerousorillegal.
Step1
Developaworkplacepolicybasedonyourcompanysphilosophy,missionstatement
and code of conduct. Incorporate the policy into your performance management
program to hold employees accountable for their actions and alert them to their
responsibilitiestoupholdprofessionalstandardsthroughouttheirjobperformanceand
interactionwithpeersandsupervisors.Reviseyouremployeehandbooktoincludethe
policy and provide copies of the revised handbook to employees. Obtain signed
acknowledgementformsfromemployeesthatindicatetheyreceivedandunderstand
theworkplaceethicspolicy.
15

Step2
Provideworkplaceethicstrainingtoemployees.Utilizevariedinstructionmethodsto
engage employees in learning how to address and resolve ethical dilemmas.
Experientiallearning,orroleplay,isaneffectivewaytofacilitateworkplaceethics
training. Examples of workplace ethics simulations involve scenarios about the
misappropriationofcompanyfunds,personalvaluesrelatedtoimproperworkplace
relationshipsandtheorganizationscompliancewithregulatorycontrols.
Step3
Designate an ombudsperson in charge of handling employees informal concerns
pertaining to workplace ethics. Consider whether your organization also needs an
ethicshotline,whichisaconfidentialserviceemployeesmaycontactwheneverthey
encounter workplace dilemmas that put them into uncomfortable or threatening
positions.Confidentialhotlinesareaneffectivewaytoassureemployeesanonymity,
which is a concern for employees whose alerts are considered whistleblowing
actions.
Step4
Research federal, state and municipal labor and employment laws pertaining to
whistleblowing.Refrainfrommakingemploymentdecisions,suchasterminationor
suspension,inconnectionwithwhistleblowingoranemployeesrighttoprotected
activityunderwhistleblowinglawsorpublicpolicy.Seeklegaladviceforemployee
reports ofworkplaceethics issuesthatincreaseyourorganizationsliabilityunder
federal,stateormunicipalemploymentlaw.UndertheTexasWhistleblowerAct,for
example,publicsectoremployeesmaybeentitledtodamagesifanemployerengages
inretaliatoryactions basedonanemployeewho,ingoodfaith,filesacomplaint
relatedtoworkplaceethics.TheActgrants"[a]publicemployeewhoclaimsthathis
suspension,termination,orotheradversepersonnelactionwasinretaliationforhis

16

goodfaithreportingofviolationsofthelawtherighttosuefordamagesandother
relief."

Step5
Apply your workplace policy consistently when addressing workplace issues and
employeeconcernsaboutworkplaceethics.Usethesamebusinessprinciplesinevery
circumstance, regardless of the perceived seriousness or the level of employees
involved.Communicatethesameexpectationsforallemployeeswhethertheyarein
executivepositionsorfrontlineproductionrolesandapproacheveryissuewith
equalinterpretationofthecompanypolicy.

17

Chapter: 7- CONCLUSION
Building an ethical workplace culture requires equal skills in policy-making and
relationship-building, and equal emphasis on procedures and values. Structural
concerns like codes, training and clear criteria matter, but so do storytelling,
mentoring and presiding over an organizations routines and ceremonies.
In an ideal workplace, structures and relationships will work together around
core values that transcend self-interest. Core values will inspire value-creating
efforts as employees feel inspired to do what is right, even when the right
thing is hard to do.
The ethics of our workplace cultures matter because the work itself matters
and requires the cooperation that only positive, virtuous ethics can sustain.
Compliance keeps us out of trouble, but virtuous ethics will create value for
our co-workers and for our organization.
Virtually every employee and manager has some insight into ethics, either into
what ethics is, what being ethical is or looks like, or what being unethical entails.
But it is still worth clarifying what ethics means and what constitutes its basic
features. A clear, shared understanding of workplace ethics is essential for
ethical behavior
In essence, ethics is concerned with what's right or good. Ethics therefore
involves moral choices between right and wrong, and good and bad.
Such choices are mostly determined by values, relevant laws, rules or regulations, the norms or culture of the group (such as, for example, those of an
organisation or team) and, crucially, by the leadership. Understanding these factors
is necessary in order to achieve ethical behaviour or an ethical outcome.
It is important to recognise that ethics does not apply only to oneself it also
applies to others. In the workplace those others are the individual employee as
well as the stakeholders not just the shareholders. How ethics is recognised and
judged can differ. Mostly, ethics is associated with a person's or company's words
and actions for instance, by their decisions or by their behaviour. Bribery and

18

corruption are obvious examples of unethical behaviour, as is failure to adhere to

laws and codes of conduct. Ethics is also evaluated in terms of differences between
proclaimed and actual behaviour specifically between what is said and what is
done.
The conclusions drawn about an individual's or an organizations ethics amount
to a judgment of their ethical status.

19

CHAPTER:8REFERENCES
1) http://smallbusiness.chron.com/majorethicalissuesbusinesspeopleface
20900.html
2) http://smallbusiness.chron.com/topethicalissuesfacinggeneralbusiness
community25417.html
3) http://smallbusiness.chron.com/commontypesethicalissueswithin
organizations15238.html
4) http://study.com/academy/lesson/whyethicalproblemsoccurin
business.html
5) http://www.iiakm.org/ojakm/articles/2013/volume1_2/OJAKM_Volume1_2pp
4455.pdf
6) http://www.it.iitb.ac.in/~deepak/deepak/courses/eco/pdf/Ethical_Consideratio
ns_in_Business_Decision_Making.pdf
7) http://www.asaecenter.org/Resources/articledetail.cfm?ItemNumber=13073
8) http://www.huizenga.nova.edu/Jame/articles/employeemonitoring.cfm
9) http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/05/us/companiesfacingethicalissueas
drugsaretestedoverseas.html
10) http://smallbusiness.chron.com/handleethicalissuesworkplace10157.html

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