Ethics At Work

Ethics at work

Today's society is governed through the implications of rules, legal restrictions that tell you if something is considered, in the eyes of society, to be right or wrong. All of these rules were created to uphold and maintain a ridged idea of ethical and moral values. For example the "10 commandments" which are thousands of years old, were created to teach ethical values, the difference between right and wrong. But who determines what is considered ethical? And what affects ones decision to act ethical or unethical? The answers to these questions will be discussed later.

Webster's new world dictionary defines ethics as "the study and standards of conduct and moral judgment" and "the system of morals of a particular religion, group, etc" (1). The understanding of human standards and moral judgment has greatly influenced modern business. Most modern Business' pay careful attention to ethical values and follow an ethical code of conduct. However these ethical values were not always acknowledged, slavery is a good example of this. With the emergence of the industrial revolution, new ideas about management and ethical practices came into effect, eventually resulting in major benefits to employers and employees.

In the early 1800's, the industrial revolution well under way, managers of industrial factories cared little about the well being of their workers. There main concern was with achieving the greatest amount of productivity. Managers accomplished this by matching workers skills with job related skills. For example, for a job that required allot of heavy lifting would go to an individual who is physically fit (2). This act of matching skills is referred to as the "scientific management movement" it provides good examples of the problems that arise when ethical situations are not properly dealt with. The factory jobs were un-rewarding, repetitious and did not allow any room to advance. The management style was generally system 1, which is exploitive and autocratic. In this system the workers distrust the manager and usually oppose the formal organizations goals. Eventually it was realized that catering to the needs of the workers caused an increase in productivity. This was the beginning of the human resource era, which understands that each individual has untapped potential. Since then, ethics in the work place has become a major focus for study.

Children growing up are taught some very important codes of ethics in school, for example the golden rule, "treat others as you would want them to treat you". These lessons learned as a youth growing up carry over into adulthood, as an employee, and or manager. It is imperative to possess high ethical values if one wishes to succeed in any formal organization. Compared to traditional managerial styles (system 1 and 2), modern managers are usually system 3 or 4, these types of managers are more democratic, and communicate with all levels of subordinates (3). This managerial style promotes good ethical values. The result is a more cohesive formal organization, and informal organization. This change in managerial style, from system 1 to system 4, is a direct result of ethical values being implemented into modern business practices. The benefits of implementing a code of ethics at work are clear, productivity is greatly increased and the moral of all employees rises.

Managers and workers both follow a similar code of ethics within the work place, such as working for the greater good (the company), treating co-workers and others with respect, and not stealing. There are also many differences between a managers and subordinates code of ethics at work. The manager has an ethical responsibility to ensure a safe work place, and to serve as a moral leader and set a good example to the rest of the employees. This can be accomplished by being honest, compassionate, and listening to what the subordinates are saying. The manager must also stay away from any bias', such as religion, age, or race. Workers have an ethical responsibility to work hard, follow instructions from the managers when needed, and complete the task that is assigned.

The study of ethics raises many questions, what is considered ethical? Is it considered to be ethical to everyone? Who decides what is considered ethical? What factors affect these decisions? Let us take a closer look at how culture affects ones perspective on what is ethical.

The act of child labor, by North American standards, is considered to be unethical. This is a result of North American culture and the "norms" that go along with it. Through the eyes of most North Americans children should be at school getting educated, and at the play ground interacting with other kids, and not being exploited for the interest of profit. In Pakistan child labor is common and totally accepted by adults and children alike. Through the eyes of most Pakistan natives child labor has many benefits, as it keeps kids safe and off the street where there is worse dangers, it also provides the family with a greater income (4). This clearly shows how the difference in culture greatly affects the ethical values of its people.

Culture plays a huge roll in developing ones individual ethical values. There are two sub categories of ethical styles within a culture, either the culture is generally human relations oriented, or rules oriented (5). This makes a big difference when it comes to perceptions of ethical conduct. In a hypothetical situation, your friend Mr. X is having an affair with another woman. Mr. X's wife calls you to ask if you had seen Mr. X. You do not agree with Mr. X having an affair, but are morally bonded by your Friendship. What is the ethical thing to do? Tell the wife of the affair? or lye to the wife and say you don't know of his whereabouts? Both decisions can be classified