Workplace Business Ethics
All businesses need to have a code of workplace ethics. Throughout their professional lives, businessmen and women are likely to encounter difficult ethical decisions, and may feel pressured to take questionable action. Workplace ethics codes and training help workers to understand the consequences of their decisions and gives them guidelines for making the right choice. Some companies may brush aside ethics in the pursuit of profits, but doing so can be very costly in the end, as companies may be responsible for employees' unethical behavior.
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Ethics Issues in the Workplace
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Roughly half of American workers witness unethical behavior at their jobs, but only 55 percent of them actually report a problem when they see it. In addition, approximately half of U.S. employees have felt pressured to act unethically and or taken ethically questionable action. These disturbing facts, from John Schermerhorn's book "Management," demonstrate that the workplace is no stranger to ethical dilemmas and unethical behavior is not nearly as uncommon as it should be.
Ethical Breaches
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The office is no different than the rest of the world--people may lie, cheat or steal if they think it will make their life easier. However, the workplace does have unique circumstances that may promote unethical behavior. For example, people working in overseas branches of an American company may find that actions that are forbidden by headquarters, such as offering bribes or kickbacks, are the only way to get things done in their new post. Some people may also have a concept that "all's fair in love, war and business," and do things in the name of profits that they would not do otherwise.
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Ethics Training
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One way to combat ethical breaches in the workplace is training. People may make the wrong decisions simply because they are unaware of the ethical implications of their choices, or because they do not think they have other options. Ethics training should teach workers how to recognize ethical conflicts and think through responsible solutions.
Ethical Corporate Culture
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Ethics training must be backed up with dedication on a business' part. This means taking allegations of unethical behavior seriously and punishing those who have been proven to be in the wrong. It is important to make it clear that ethical breaches will not be tolerated, or employees will simply ignore their training. For example, a company that is focused on profits to the exclusion of all else may pressure some workers to fudge their numbers so their divisions look more successful. If these workers do not see anyone else being called out on their questionable reports, they will likely conclude it is more important to exceed expectations and protect their jobs than to act ethically.
Benefits
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Creating a workplace with high ethical standards has a number of benefits. When employees know that their co-workers are trustworthy and respectful of their ideas, they will be able to collaborate more effectively. Oftentimes, when an employee does something illegal, his employer can be held accountable by the law, or to those to whom he owes money. In either case, bad publicity can also be another unwanted side effect. Training employees and encouraging ethical behavior means a company will not have to worry about such problems.
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References
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