Ethics

Ethical workplace environment is contingent on the foundations of the self-morals of the employees. Ethics are moral principles or practices that a person uses to determine whether a decision is good or bad. The workplace is an open field when it comes to ethical decisions. An employee is faced with ethical decisions on a daily basis.

As an employee of a company the decisions you make, whether ethical or unethical, affect the integrity of the company. Take for instance, the employee who starts at an entry-level position who through the course of his/her employment gains friends. This employee is then later promoted to a position where he/she is to evaluate the quality of the other employees phone conversations with customers. As a Quality Assurance Representative, also known as a QA, this employee is faced with the friends that expect her to lower her morals and give these particular employees a break on their evaluations. The QA representative is now in a position to make an ethical decision. Does she lower her own morals and risk the integrity of the company just to please her friends?

In this case the QA did not take that risk and held all employees to the same standards regardless of friendship. This assured the company's standards were being met and showed the other employees that the QA representative was not easily swayed. Although this case shows a good ethical decision there was twist to this where other representatives felt that this QA representative "had it out for them" evaluating them unfairly. This was due to a representative that was cursing while speaking to customers. The QA representative brought this to the attention of the management team for review. As per the company guidelines this representative was to experience disciplinary action or termination. The management team did neither of these and the representative continued to display unfriendly service to the customers. This is an example of an unethical decision when compared to the company's mission statement, which was to provide excellent customer service to customers.

A leader who displays fairness in his or her interactions with others usually listens to others with empathy, recognizing the worth and value of the speaker's concerns, opinions or questions. Yet we know them to be fair and principal in their dealings with others. They are not gullible or easily swayed from their ethical center. Being consistent is an important aspect of being fair, especially in the treatment of others. (College University). A company's integrity is not just what output a company produces but also the morale with in the company. Take for instance the case in which an employee's right for a leave was used ethically and unethically.

The Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, also known as FMLA, entitles a covered employee to take up to 12 weeks of leave in a 12month period. This can be taken for the birth or adoption of a child,