WE talk about ethics and practicing ethics in organisation.
But communicating ethics and these practices takes a lot of harwork and tactics.
Here are some measures through which we can communicate ethics in a proper manner to our people.
What goes around up ultimately comes back down! Life is cyclic in nature and intent. Checking in on ethics-related beliefs and behaviours can be enriching to an organisation. The following tips can help incorporating organisational ethics into day-to-day business or departmental activity:
# Scrutinise: The underlying intention for establishing organisational ethics has to be examined. Such raison d'ętre will help resolve how and why to communicate ethical messages to employees.
# Emphasise: Every organisation has stories that demonstrate their ethics. For example, Nordstrom made a full refund to a man who returned his car tyres. The organisation does not even sell them. Ethics ought to be a part of the organisational mainstream. The positive effects of ethical behaviour have to be communicated. The best way to do this is by modelling another person's rewarded behaviour.
# Demonstrate: Actions speak. Top management must demonstrate ethical behaviour, to inculcate ethics in their employees.
# Standardise: Devise and develop guidelines and strategies that support ethical behaviour. Ethics need to be translated into comprehensible actions and these expectations have to be communicated to employees consistently.
# Confer: Group discussions help finding new ways of incorporating ethics effectively into the organisational mainstream. 'Dialogue' allow participants to share ideas and beliefs free of judgement and suppositions. Such discussions demonstrate respect for employees' differences and insecurities around the subject matter. They also throw light on the source of their beliefs around ethics. Engaging a skilled and objective facilitator for such discussions is a good idea.
# Integrate: Ethics need to become an integral part of the business. Organisations need to "use ethics" in all their activities including hiring, pricing products, providing service and choosing clients.
# Measure: Why should any employee comply with the organisational code of ethics? Link the behaviour to performance and change is not far.
# Safe feedback: Unethical behaviour has to be reported, immediately. However, a safe feedback mechanism is required for this. Anonymous hotlines, suggestion boxes or one-on-one meetings allow employees to provide such feedback without feeling threatened.
The above tips for communicating ethics is not customised counsel. Any organisational communication programme can be successful, provided it is tailored to meet the unique needs of the organisation.
From India, Delhi
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115But communicating ethics and these practices takes a lot of harwork and tactics.
Here are some measures through which we can communicate ethics in a proper manner to our people.
What goes around up ultimately comes back down! Life is cyclic in nature and intent. Checking in on ethics-related beliefs and behaviours can be enriching to an organisation. The following tips can help incorporating organisational ethics into day-to-day business or departmental activity:
# Scrutinise: The underlying intention for establishing organisational ethics has to be examined. Such raison d'ętre will help resolve how and why to communicate ethical messages to employees.
# Emphasise: Every organisation has stories that demonstrate their ethics. For example, Nordstrom made a full refund to a man who returned his car tyres. The organisation does not even sell them. Ethics ought to be a part of the organisational mainstream. The positive effects of ethical behaviour have to be communicated. The best way to do this is by modelling another person's rewarded behaviour.
# Demonstrate: Actions speak. Top management must demonstrate ethical behaviour, to inculcate ethics in their employees.
# Standardise: Devise and develop guidelines and strategies that support ethical behaviour. Ethics need to be translated into comprehensible actions and these expectations have to be communicated to employees consistently.
# Confer: Group discussions help finding new ways of incorporating ethics effectively into the organisational mainstream. 'Dialogue' allow participants to share ideas and beliefs free of judgement and suppositions. Such discussions demonstrate respect for employees' differences and insecurities around the subject matter. They also throw light on the source of their beliefs around ethics. Engaging a skilled and objective facilitator for such discussions is a good idea.
# Integrate: Ethics need to become an integral part of the business. Organisations need to "use ethics" in all their activities including hiring, pricing products, providing service and choosing clients.
# Measure: Why should any employee comply with the organisational code of ethics? Link the behaviour to performance and change is not far.
# Safe feedback: Unethical behaviour has to be reported, immediately. However, a safe feedback mechanism is required for this. Anonymous hotlines, suggestion boxes or one-on-one meetings allow employees to provide such feedback without feeling threatened.
The above tips for communicating ethics is not customised counsel. Any organisational communication programme can be successful, provided it is tailored to meet the unique needs of the organisation.
From India, Delhi
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Hi, it's a lovely write-up. I like that. I want to get some more on ethics in the workplace. In fact, I believe that the practice and effective communication of ethics can do a lot for the improvement of service as well as personal life. I hope to read more on this topic.
You may kindly send some more information on ethics to my personal mailbox. Thanks.
From Bangladesh
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You may kindly send some more information on ethics to my personal mailbox. Thanks.
From Bangladesh
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Dear Archna,
People need to be interested in ethics and morality, not only in the workplace but in their lives.
What is really important as far as ethics and morality in the workplace is concerned is what you stated:
'Devise and develop guidelines and strategies that support ethical behavior. Ethics need to be translated into comprehensible actions, and these expectations have to be communicated to employees consistently.'
If this is done effectively enough, then standards of ethics and morality are bound to improve markedly. Very often employees do not realize that their actions are not really ethical or moral. They often think, 'so what? It's only...'.
But it isn't. Flicking a box of pins and flicking an expensive thinkpad or mobile is still 'flicking'. No matter the value of the object, the action is equally wrong. It's stealing - either from the office or from an individual.
Employees should be made to realize that 'lying' takes many forms. To assure a customer over the phone that his matter will be attended to immediately and then forgetting all about it is lying. To tell your boss you were ill and in bed when you were not is also lying. It's easy to say 'oh, it was only a little white lie'. But white or not, it's still a lie - and should be avoided at all costs.
People do this all the time - make promises that they know will never be attended to, say they'll do actions they have no intention of performing, feel that taking office property home will never be noticed... they do not realize that once a habit has been formed, it will keep on being harder and harder to end it. And it might become worse and worse.
It's like cigarette smoking - to say you're 'only smoking half a pack instead of two a day' is good, but it's better to say that 'I have finally stopped smoking' and stop.
Just a few thoughts! I think you'll agree...
Jeroo
From India, Mumbai
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People need to be interested in ethics and morality, not only in the workplace but in their lives.
What is really important as far as ethics and morality in the workplace is concerned is what you stated:
'Devise and develop guidelines and strategies that support ethical behavior. Ethics need to be translated into comprehensible actions, and these expectations have to be communicated to employees consistently.'
If this is done effectively enough, then standards of ethics and morality are bound to improve markedly. Very often employees do not realize that their actions are not really ethical or moral. They often think, 'so what? It's only...'.
But it isn't. Flicking a box of pins and flicking an expensive thinkpad or mobile is still 'flicking'. No matter the value of the object, the action is equally wrong. It's stealing - either from the office or from an individual.
Employees should be made to realize that 'lying' takes many forms. To assure a customer over the phone that his matter will be attended to immediately and then forgetting all about it is lying. To tell your boss you were ill and in bed when you were not is also lying. It's easy to say 'oh, it was only a little white lie'. But white or not, it's still a lie - and should be avoided at all costs.
People do this all the time - make promises that they know will never be attended to, say they'll do actions they have no intention of performing, feel that taking office property home will never be noticed... they do not realize that once a habit has been formed, it will keep on being harder and harder to end it. And it might become worse and worse.
It's like cigarette smoking - to say you're 'only smoking half a pack instead of two a day' is good, but it's better to say that 'I have finally stopped smoking' and stop.
Just a few thoughts! I think you'll agree...
Jeroo
From India, Mumbai
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Hi Jeroo,
I completely agree with you. Ethics is a part of life, but teaching ethics to employees is a little bit tricky. No one wants advice, especially about ethics; it is all a matter of personal choice. It is very difficult to change a person's inner motives. If a person has lied all their way through life, teaching ethics to them will not produce results.
If the top management is firm about ethics, then employees will think twice about their behavior (but only in the workplace). If I see my boss fudging data, I will not blink an eyelid in fudging data as well. However, I will not do the same thing in my home. Similarly, lying. We can demonstrate ethics, not preach.
Regards
From India
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I completely agree with you. Ethics is a part of life, but teaching ethics to employees is a little bit tricky. No one wants advice, especially about ethics; it is all a matter of personal choice. It is very difficult to change a person's inner motives. If a person has lied all their way through life, teaching ethics to them will not produce results.
If the top management is firm about ethics, then employees will think twice about their behavior (but only in the workplace). If I see my boss fudging data, I will not blink an eyelid in fudging data as well. However, I will not do the same thing in my home. Similarly, lying. We can demonstrate ethics, not preach.
Regards
From India
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Dear A,
We see so many wrong examples around us. Everything is okay unless one is caught. I know a company where the MD gets a cut from his distributor, and sales have to be affected through that distributor only. It is a limited company. Somewhere I read: ask three questions when in doubt: is it fair? Is it legal? What will I think of myself after I have done it? Then take action. This is a cultural problem in our country to be attacked directly and without any compromise. Let us pray that the next generation will have it better.
Regards, Veera
From India, Thrissur
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We see so many wrong examples around us. Everything is okay unless one is caught. I know a company where the MD gets a cut from his distributor, and sales have to be affected through that distributor only. It is a limited company. Somewhere I read: ask three questions when in doubt: is it fair? Is it legal? What will I think of myself after I have done it? Then take action. This is a cultural problem in our country to be attacked directly and without any compromise. Let us pray that the next generation will have it better.
Regards, Veera
From India, Thrissur
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Hi,
I think this is a great subject that you have brought out. But sadly, today no one goes by ethics. The strangest part is that people ridicule those employees who are ethical, which is really very sad. I think if all of us follow even a bit of ethics, then we can create a better workplace. But today, I think most employees just keep their interests in mind and rarely understand the need for ethics. In fact, due to those employees who exhibit unethical behavior, other employees also lose their interest in sticking to ethics. That is why we HR professionals have to face problems like regular latecoming, unauthorized use of the internet in the office, etc.
What I believe in is practicing what you preach; therefore, all HR professionals need to be ethical if they want to implement the same. After employee retention, I consider ethics in the workplace the biggest HR challenge, which I think is an uphill task. But thanks to you once again for enlightening us on it. I think it is very important to create a better work culture at the end of the day.
From India, Calcutta
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I think this is a great subject that you have brought out. But sadly, today no one goes by ethics. The strangest part is that people ridicule those employees who are ethical, which is really very sad. I think if all of us follow even a bit of ethics, then we can create a better workplace. But today, I think most employees just keep their interests in mind and rarely understand the need for ethics. In fact, due to those employees who exhibit unethical behavior, other employees also lose their interest in sticking to ethics. That is why we HR professionals have to face problems like regular latecoming, unauthorized use of the internet in the office, etc.
What I believe in is practicing what you preach; therefore, all HR professionals need to be ethical if they want to implement the same. After employee retention, I consider ethics in the workplace the biggest HR challenge, which I think is an uphill task. But thanks to you once again for enlightening us on it. I think it is very important to create a better work culture at the end of the day.
From India, Calcutta
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Read this excerpt from a book called FISH. There is a special philosophy that helps employees embody the values necessary for them in corporate culture.
Fish Philosophy!
To evolve a living and breathing corporate culture that employees could appreciate and emulate, they adopted the Fish Philosophy! The Fish Philosophy is based on four concepts:
Play: Embrace your inner self and have fun at work.
Team spirit and customer-driven: The multitasking madness has made employees too busy thinking about what to do next and forget listening in a meaningful way. Have time for each other and your customers.
Make your customers' day: Explore and innovate some unique ways to achieve the pinnacle of customer service.
Choose your attitude: While you cannot always control the events in your daily life, you can control how you respond to them. Choose not to rub off your bad day onto your colleagues and customers.
To buy the employees into the philosophy, Hai held a meeting with his 350 staff, explaining the philosophy and making them aware of how important it is to make work fun and fulfilling when everyone spends most of their waking hours either doing the work or thinking about the work. The organization did not tell their employees to do anything; they wanted them to believe in it and volunteer to help make their lives better.
"Sometimes all it takes is one person to say that you have the power to accomplish anything you want to."
Cheers,
Archna
From India, Delhi
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Fish Philosophy!
To evolve a living and breathing corporate culture that employees could appreciate and emulate, they adopted the Fish Philosophy! The Fish Philosophy is based on four concepts:
Play: Embrace your inner self and have fun at work.
Team spirit and customer-driven: The multitasking madness has made employees too busy thinking about what to do next and forget listening in a meaningful way. Have time for each other and your customers.
Make your customers' day: Explore and innovate some unique ways to achieve the pinnacle of customer service.
Choose your attitude: While you cannot always control the events in your daily life, you can control how you respond to them. Choose not to rub off your bad day onto your colleagues and customers.
To buy the employees into the philosophy, Hai held a meeting with his 350 staff, explaining the philosophy and making them aware of how important it is to make work fun and fulfilling when everyone spends most of their waking hours either doing the work or thinking about the work. The organization did not tell their employees to do anything; they wanted them to believe in it and volunteer to help make their lives better.
"Sometimes all it takes is one person to say that you have the power to accomplish anything you want to."
Cheers,
Archna
From India, Delhi
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Archna Excellent philosophy for improving corporate life, but what about imbibuing ethics? It would help if you could post some gyaan on this very vital need! Jeroo
From India, Mumbai
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From India, Mumbai
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Hi Archna,
Ethics and integrity are very easy to preach and difficult to practice in organizations. Yes, communicating these things is equally important, and we cannot enforce disciplinary actions always on people who indulge in unethical practices. A clear manual on ethics in an organization has to be initiated and prepared by HR professionals on the lines of an HR manual. It should be circulated among the employees just like standing orders or service rules so that everybody is at least aware of what is an unethical practice in the eyes of Management or the organization.
On the whole, a very informative contribution. Keep sharing.
Regards,
PRADEEP
From India, Hyderabad
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Ethics and integrity are very easy to preach and difficult to practice in organizations. Yes, communicating these things is equally important, and we cannot enforce disciplinary actions always on people who indulge in unethical practices. A clear manual on ethics in an organization has to be initiated and prepared by HR professionals on the lines of an HR manual. It should be circulated among the employees just like standing orders or service rules so that everybody is at least aware of what is an unethical practice in the eyes of Management or the organization.
On the whole, a very informative contribution. Keep sharing.
Regards,
PRADEEP
From India, Hyderabad
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Hi Archana,
A really nice thought... I wish if everyone follows and believes in ethics, not only in professional but personal life as well, the world would be a better place to live in. Keep sharing the thoughts.
Regards,
Shailly :)
From India, Varanasi
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A really nice thought... I wish if everyone follows and believes in ethics, not only in professional but personal life as well, the world would be a better place to live in. Keep sharing the thoughts.
Regards,
Shailly :)
From India, Varanasi
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Hi there, funny guy,
Well, your topic is indeed interesting and will be highly valued, especially by those people undergoing Organizational Development in their work area. Your article is pretty serious, though.
Thanks,
Adette.
From Philippines, Quezon City
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Well, your topic is indeed interesting and will be highly valued, especially by those people undergoing Organizational Development in their work area. Your article is pretty serious, though.
Thanks,
Adette.
From Philippines, Quezon City
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Hi Archna,
How are you? This topic reminds me of the day when I asked how important ethics are in HR. However, your view is on Ethics & the entire Organization. Firstly, thanks for the write-up. It's good. Also, the Fish Philosophy is a great instrument to extend the message.
Furthermore, I do believe that being ethical in any aspect of one's life is something within a human being which, to a great extent, cannot be taught, inculcated, or preached, as you need to work with different individuals and their foundations. But I am sure that some changes can be brought about, as your topic suggests, by demonstration. You see how many of us have actually practiced GANDHIGARI till now after watching the movie. That was the whole idea behind it – to spread the message.
Also, from ages past, be it Satyug till date, there is good and bad, ethical and unethical. It will continue in the future as well, in organizations and otherwise.
Let me know your opinion on the same.
Warm Regards,
Geeti
From India, Bangalore
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How are you? This topic reminds me of the day when I asked how important ethics are in HR. However, your view is on Ethics & the entire Organization. Firstly, thanks for the write-up. It's good. Also, the Fish Philosophy is a great instrument to extend the message.
Furthermore, I do believe that being ethical in any aspect of one's life is something within a human being which, to a great extent, cannot be taught, inculcated, or preached, as you need to work with different individuals and their foundations. But I am sure that some changes can be brought about, as your topic suggests, by demonstration. You see how many of us have actually practiced GANDHIGARI till now after watching the movie. That was the whole idea behind it – to spread the message.
Also, from ages past, be it Satyug till date, there is good and bad, ethical and unethical. It will continue in the future as well, in organizations and otherwise.
Let me know your opinion on the same.
Warm Regards,
Geeti
From India, Bangalore
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Hi, regards.
Coming a little late to the office is not always unethical, especially when you have a valid reason. On the other hand, you must stay in the office even after the scheduled time if it is required. So, using the internet and misusing it are not the same. What matters is whether you are using it or doing things rationally or not.
Does your action hinder office work or the work of other employees? That is what should be considered. This can give confidence to both the manager and the worker.
Modern business offices aim for tasks to be completed for profit, sometimes at the expense of ethics. Hence, when a manager or senior starts discussing ethics, it can be hard to accept.
What is most important is to practice ethics at both the organizational and personal levels simultaneously, sincerely, and of course, ethically.
From Bangladesh
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Coming a little late to the office is not always unethical, especially when you have a valid reason. On the other hand, you must stay in the office even after the scheduled time if it is required. So, using the internet and misusing it are not the same. What matters is whether you are using it or doing things rationally or not.
Does your action hinder office work or the work of other employees? That is what should be considered. This can give confidence to both the manager and the worker.
Modern business offices aim for tasks to be completed for profit, sometimes at the expense of ethics. Hence, when a manager or senior starts discussing ethics, it can be hard to accept.
What is most important is to practice ethics at both the organizational and personal levels simultaneously, sincerely, and of course, ethically.
From Bangladesh
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Hi Geeti, Thanks a lot. I also agree with you that ethics cannot be preached or taught, but they can be communicated to people in a proper manner.
Hey all, Thanks a lot for your interest in the topic. How we behave in personal life cannot be the same in professional life. For example, a Brahmin may not like to touch and accept things from lower-caste people in personal life, but can the same person do that in an organization as well? The answer is NO.
Similarly, the ethics and values of an organization can be maintained by communicating them to the people. If I practice some good things, why can't I teach similar things to others? Another example would be a person being sent to jail for imprisonment. For what? To learn good things and receive punishment for the bad behavior and practices he/she used. Are we not teaching them ethical behavior?
Hope I will receive some more interesting responses. Cheers, Archna
From India, Delhi
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Hey all, Thanks a lot for your interest in the topic. How we behave in personal life cannot be the same in professional life. For example, a Brahmin may not like to touch and accept things from lower-caste people in personal life, but can the same person do that in an organization as well? The answer is NO.
Similarly, the ethics and values of an organization can be maintained by communicating them to the people. If I practice some good things, why can't I teach similar things to others? Another example would be a person being sent to jail for imprisonment. For what? To learn good things and receive punishment for the bad behavior and practices he/she used. Are we not teaching them ethical behavior?
Hope I will receive some more interesting responses. Cheers, Archna
From India, Delhi
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A Layman’s defination of Values is" Belief in what is right and what is wrong". Ethics stem from Values Who defines what is right and what is wrong? what is the basis of that? Regards
From India
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From India
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It is a matter of great concern which is being overlooked by the corporate world. Individuals have to be more conscious of the importance of ethics in business. It is to be communicated, no doubt, but to initialize such movements of incorporating ethics at work, employees have to be oriented towards it.
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Hi everybody,
I came across an article regarding the factors that raise ethical standards in business. Thought of sharing with all of you.
In the study cited earlier, the two factors that raise ethical standards the most, according to the respondents, are:
1. Public disclosure and publicity, and
2. The increased concern of a well-informed public.
These factors are followed by government regulation and by education to increase the professionalism of business managers.
For ethical codes to be effective, provisions must be made for their enforcement. Unethical managers should be held responsible for their actions. This means that privileges and benefits should be withdrawn, and sanctions should be applied. Although the enforcement of ethical codes may not be easy, the mere existence of such codes can increase ethical behavior by clarifying expectations. On the other hand, one should not expect ethical codes to solve all problems. In fact, they can create a false sense of security. Effective code enforcement requires consistent ethical behavior and support from top management.
Another factor that could raise ethical standards is the teaching of ethics and values in business and other schools and universities. The Harvard Business School has come under severe criticism by its own president, Derek Bok, for the lack of teaching of human values. With the help of business executives, the school hired Dean John McArthur and faculty members trained to teach ethics to give direction to the school. While financial aspects received less attention in the revised curriculum, more emphasis was given to people skills and ethical behavior. Since Harvard has one of the largest numbers of business school graduates holding top managerial positions, a somewhat greater awareness of the ethical dimension in managing may be expected.
The need for improvement of ethical behavior has become clear through some widely publicized cases. Saul Gellerman examined three in greater detail: the Manville Corporation, which apparently hid the real danger of asbestos; Continental Illinois Bank, in which some managers misinterpreted the overall interest of the enterprise; and E.F. Hutton and Company, which pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud.
In light of his analysis, Gellerman made several suggestions, such as:
1. Provide clear guidelines for ethical behavior.
2. Teach ethical guidelines and their importance.
3. In gray areas where there are questions about the ethics of an action, refrain from it.
4. Set up controls (e.g., establish an auditing agency reporting to outside directors) that check on illegal or unethical deeds.
5. Conduct frequent and unpredictable audits.
6. Punish trespassers in a meaningful way, and make it public so that it may deter others.
7. Emphasize regularly that loyalty to the company does not excuse improper behavior or actions.
Regards,
Shubha
From United Arab Emirates, Dubai
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I came across an article regarding the factors that raise ethical standards in business. Thought of sharing with all of you.
In the study cited earlier, the two factors that raise ethical standards the most, according to the respondents, are:
1. Public disclosure and publicity, and
2. The increased concern of a well-informed public.
These factors are followed by government regulation and by education to increase the professionalism of business managers.
For ethical codes to be effective, provisions must be made for their enforcement. Unethical managers should be held responsible for their actions. This means that privileges and benefits should be withdrawn, and sanctions should be applied. Although the enforcement of ethical codes may not be easy, the mere existence of such codes can increase ethical behavior by clarifying expectations. On the other hand, one should not expect ethical codes to solve all problems. In fact, they can create a false sense of security. Effective code enforcement requires consistent ethical behavior and support from top management.
Another factor that could raise ethical standards is the teaching of ethics and values in business and other schools and universities. The Harvard Business School has come under severe criticism by its own president, Derek Bok, for the lack of teaching of human values. With the help of business executives, the school hired Dean John McArthur and faculty members trained to teach ethics to give direction to the school. While financial aspects received less attention in the revised curriculum, more emphasis was given to people skills and ethical behavior. Since Harvard has one of the largest numbers of business school graduates holding top managerial positions, a somewhat greater awareness of the ethical dimension in managing may be expected.
The need for improvement of ethical behavior has become clear through some widely publicized cases. Saul Gellerman examined three in greater detail: the Manville Corporation, which apparently hid the real danger of asbestos; Continental Illinois Bank, in which some managers misinterpreted the overall interest of the enterprise; and E.F. Hutton and Company, which pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud.
In light of his analysis, Gellerman made several suggestions, such as:
1. Provide clear guidelines for ethical behavior.
2. Teach ethical guidelines and their importance.
3. In gray areas where there are questions about the ethics of an action, refrain from it.
4. Set up controls (e.g., establish an auditing agency reporting to outside directors) that check on illegal or unethical deeds.
5. Conduct frequent and unpredictable audits.
6. Punish trespassers in a meaningful way, and make it public so that it may deter others.
7. Emphasize regularly that loyalty to the company does not excuse improper behavior or actions.
Regards,
Shubha
From United Arab Emirates, Dubai
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Hey everyone,
Ethics is an integral part of all organizations, and working on it is again very important. People who say ethics cannot be taught are correct, but why can't we communicate good ethical practices to our people? As a professor, I ensure that all the students who come to us in institutions should learn ethical behavior, and yes, we teach them how to be ethical.
Thanks, Archana, for sharing this with us.
Regards, Prof. Nivedita
From Germany
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Ethics is an integral part of all organizations, and working on it is again very important. People who say ethics cannot be taught are correct, but why can't we communicate good ethical practices to our people? As a professor, I ensure that all the students who come to us in institutions should learn ethical behavior, and yes, we teach them how to be ethical.
Thanks, Archana, for sharing this with us.
Regards, Prof. Nivedita
From Germany
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Hi there,
It was a good experience going through your reviews. It would be kind of you if you could send me the links to articles on Business ethics. I have a few questions that I would like you to help me out with:
1. What should an employee do if the top management forces him/her to act unethically to obtain a profit?
2. What should a person do if ridiculed by others for behaving ethically?
3. If a person thinks that an act is ethical as it harms no one and you think it's unethical, what should you do?
From India, Pune
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It was a good experience going through your reviews. It would be kind of you if you could send me the links to articles on Business ethics. I have a few questions that I would like you to help me out with:
1. What should an employee do if the top management forces him/her to act unethically to obtain a profit?
2. What should a person do if ridiculed by others for behaving ethically?
3. If a person thinks that an act is ethical as it harms no one and you think it's unethical, what should you do?
From India, Pune
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Comments:
Point 1 - I would refuse. If this creates unpleasantness in the office, I would immediately look around for another posting and leave the first company. Because once you do something unethical, it becomes easier to repeat such an act, and soon it becomes a habit, and your ethics have gone out the window!
Point 2 - I would ignore any such comments. Ethics do not have to be praised by others to make them worthwhile. Sooner or later, the jeerers themselves will realize this.
Point 3 - I would first gently try to make the person understand my point of view that regardless of whether it harms anyone or anything, if it is not ethical, don't do it. If the other person persists in what he/she is doing, then I'd normally step out. If, however, I feel strongly about it, or I feel the consequences might be harmful in the long run, I might speak informally to my superior.
Just my points of view.
Jeroo
From India, Mumbai
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Point 1 - I would refuse. If this creates unpleasantness in the office, I would immediately look around for another posting and leave the first company. Because once you do something unethical, it becomes easier to repeat such an act, and soon it becomes a habit, and your ethics have gone out the window!
Point 2 - I would ignore any such comments. Ethics do not have to be praised by others to make them worthwhile. Sooner or later, the jeerers themselves will realize this.
Point 3 - I would first gently try to make the person understand my point of view that regardless of whether it harms anyone or anything, if it is not ethical, don't do it. If the other person persists in what he/she is doing, then I'd normally step out. If, however, I feel strongly about it, or I feel the consequences might be harmful in the long run, I might speak informally to my superior.
Just my points of view.
Jeroo
From India, Mumbai
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