Workplace Ethics

What does ethics in the workplace mean?  What situations would this involve?

Workplace ethics are the set of values, moral principles, and standards that need to be followed by both employers and employees in the workplace.

Ethics IQ Quiz

Complete the Ethics IQ Quiz at https://theethicsguy.com/whats-your-ethics-iq/.

Workplace Ethics Topics

For information about specific topics visit https://www.formpl.us/blog/workplace-ethics.

• Punctuality
• Honesty
• Responsibility
• Missing work
• Personal matters on work time
• Work ethic
• Attitude
• Listening
• Pride in work
• Cooperation
• Quality of work
• Customer treatment
• Negligence
• Ignoring customers

• Lying
• Disrespect
• Confidentiality
• Intimidation
• Blaming Others
• Quitting without giving notice
• Adaptability
• Unfair time demands by boss
• Theft
• Gossip in the workplace
• Covering up
• Wasting time

• Improper use of employee discount
• Taking undue credit
• Integrity
• Defensiveness
• Fair treatment of customers
• Excessive complaining
• Deceit
• Violence in the workplace
• Sexual harassment
• Profanity
• Entitlement
• Drug use

Examples of Ethical Behaviors

Obey The Company’s Rules & Regulation

 At the start of an employee contract, companies may need the employee to sign various documents, including the company rules and regulation agreement form. Also, the employee may be given a handbook that may serve as a guide.

Some common rules are tardiness, inappropriate dressing, and language, etc. Due to the excitement of getting a new job, some employees do not properly read these rules and may end up deferring them in the future.

Therefore, it is important that new employees properly read these rules & regulations in other not to defer them.

Communicate Effectively

Effective communication is very important to avoid misunderstandings when dealing with issues in the workplace. Communicating effectively may mean different things to people at different points in time.

Let us consider the hypothetical situation of an employee trying to relay information to a French-speaking customer. The best way to communicate effectively with the customer is to have an employee who can speak French relay the information.

Effective communication may also have an employee breaking one of the rules and regulations of the company without getting penalized for it. An employee reaching out to HR that they will be coming in late due to some unforeseen circumstances may be spared for coming late if the situation is properly communicated.

Develop Professional Relationships

Good professional relationships are not only a thing that fosters teamwork among employees, but also help with individual career development for employees. Developing professional relationships with coworkers or other professionals outside the workplace will also directly or indirectly improve productivity.

Professional relationships between low-level and high-level employees will make it easier for ideas to be shared and knowledge to be passed to junior employees. That way, the company can confidently have an intern work on a tough project to meet a pending deadline due to the guidance from older employees.

Salespeople, for one, need to build external professional relationships with professionals from other organizations—especially those who are potential clients. These relationships will help create a contact person in another organization in case they need to sell a product to them.

Take Responsibility

It is important for employees to always take responsibility for decisions made both individually and in a team. This is, in fact, a leadership trait that every employee who is looking to take up a managerial position in the future should exhibit.

Understandably, employees may want to save their job and are therefore scared of taking responsibility for a particular event. However, they shouldn’t let this fear take them.out of the team.

For example, the communications team came up with a marketing strategy for the company and it failed. The team members are to jointly take responsibility for this failure, not individuals coming out that they weren’t part of the decision making process.

If the strategy has gone the other way round, they wouldn’t have said the same.

Professionalism/Standards

There are professional standards that everything an employee does in the workplace. The use of informal words in a formal workplace is highly unprofessional.

These standards should be held high and applied to every part of an employee’s activity in the workplace. This should include the way they speak, kind of work they deliver and their relationship with coworkers and customers.

Be Accountable

 Accountability is also a very good trait of an employee. One of the things that may short change a talented and responsible is the lack of accountability.

Lack of accountability may result in your boss thinking you have an “I don’t care attitude” to the company’s project or worst take you as a liar and may lead to job loss in the long run. For example, at the beginning of each year, a certain amount of money is allocated to each department.

The manager is meant to oversee how this money is spent. If at the end of the year, the manager can not make an account of how the money was spent, he may then be suspected of stealing company funds.

Uphold Trust

An employee should not do anything that may make his or her employee withdraw trust. As an employee of a company, your employee trusts you to get work done perfectly on time.

Things like missing deadlines regularly or delivering work that needs to be revised over and over again will deny you a promotion. It may even leave the employer not giving you tasks to complete in the future.

Respect Your Colleagues

It doesn’t matter whether you are dealing with the intern, a junior, janitor, etc. they should all be treated with respect. As a manager, treating your team members with respect will help improve their productivity.

Giving constructive criticism and saying kind words to them even when they are not able to deliver perfectly will help them strive to do better in the future.

Examples of UnEthical Behaviors

Lies

Lying is a trait that is detested in and outside the workplace. It kills trust, affects relationships and may even put people in trouble.

There are different situations where employees lie in the workplace—with just one lie opening the floor for many others. It could be a sales manager lying about the number of clients they were able to get in a month or an employee calling in sick just to attend another job interview.

A lot of employees start lying from their CV, by adding experiences they didn’t acquire, and the skills they don’t have. Employees need to understand that lying about work may eventually get them in trouble and needs to stop before they lose their job.

However, we notice that employees lie due to fear of their employer—an employee will call in sick to go for interviews because companies frown against employees interviewing at another company. HR should put up a more friendly culture that will encourage people to progress in their careers taking up other jobs and even support them throughout the process.

Taking Credit for Others Hard Work

It is very common for managers to take credit for their team member’s hard work when reporting to the management. A team member may have brought an idea that helped the sales team improve their sales by 200%.

However, when giving a report, the manager doesn’t mention the team member’s name but claims the idea as his. Employees need to reduce the use of “I”, but embrace the use of ” We”.

By taking credit for another person’s work, you will be denying the person a promotion, bonus or commendation for a job well done. This will discourage the person from sharing ideas that will benefit the company in the future.

Verbal Harassment/Abuse

Employees need to stay away from using foul language on coworkers in and out of the workplace. This is very important when dealing with customers.

Customers are known to get angry and may result in verbal abuse due to a bad product or service. They may even get insult you when they are at fault.

As a customer care representative, salesperson or any other employee, it is beth important that you don’t use abusive words on customers no matter how provoked.

Violence

Similar to verbal harassment, employees should not be violent when dealing with coworkers and customers. Customers may likely provoke you, but it is better to keep shut and walk away rather than turn violent.

Non-Office Related Work

 A lot of employees have side hustles which they use to supplement salaries. This is very good and only very few companies are against employees working to make money outside work hours.

However, some employees still do non-office related work during office hours. Employees who have side hustles should try doing them on weekends or employing other people to handle some of the business logistics to avoid eating into office hours to get the work done.

Extended Breaks

Companies give lunch breaks to employees and people take advantage of these breaks to do other things outside office work like, go for interviews, meet with friends or even work on their side hustles. They are free to do whatever they want these lunch breaks.

Employees, however, take advantage of these lunch breaks and extend them beyond time.

Theft/Embezzlement

Some employees are known for diverting company funds into their bank accounts—padding project quotations, invoices, etc. to deceive the company on how much was spent on particular projects.

This act is detrimental to the company because employees who steal sometimes replace quality products with counterfeits which are cheaper but causes damage in the future.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is an offense that is not limited to the workplace alone. An employee accused of sexual harassment will not only face consequences in the workplace but also tried at a court of law.

Many companies have a zero-tolerance rate for sexual harassment in and outside the workplace. This may tarnish the company’s reputation and the only way to curb is to make an example of defaulters.

Corrupt Practices

Some common causes of corruption can be seen during the employment process of an organization. They invite so many people to send their CVs and come for interviews but only people with the same political affiliation with them get the job.

This is also common with companies that ask for contractors to bid for a project but the employees will only give them to their friends who may not even bid at all.

Gifts from Vendors

Examples of Management/Employers UnEthical Behaviors

Workplace ethics is not for employees alone. Employers are also bound to workplace ethics and may also be tried for unethical behavior.

Sex for Job/Promotion

It is common for managers, employers and major decision-makers to use their position in the workplace to influence the hiring decision in exchange for sex.

Late Night Out/Unpaid Overtime

Some employers take advantage of desperate job seekers and the competitive job market to use employees’ leisure time as they wish. They do so with the mentality that they are doing employees a favor by employing them, not knowing that the favor is mutual.

Employees who are scared of queries or job loss are not able to protest the infringement into their private time by the employer.

Verbal Harassment

It is common among employers to verbally harass employees when they make little mistakes. This will reduce employee morale and productivity.

Employers should always say kind words to their employees.

Undue Pressure

Deadlines are a great way to make sure the work gets done on time. However, when employees are placed under undue pressure, they end up trading quality for on-time delivery.

An example of undue pressure will be giving an employee a 1-day deadline for a project that would normally take a week.

Nepotism

This is a common type of corruption that happens in the workplace. An employee who has been working hard for years while influencing company growth may get sidelined for a promotion because of another employee who is a family friend, family or friend of the employer. Things like this are what reduces employee morale or even push talented employees from drop a resignation.

Unfriendly Work Environment

One of the things that can mar productivity is an unfriendly working environment. This may come as a combination of abusive bosses, lack of commendation, nepotism, etc. An unfriendly environment is an environment that combines various unethical behaviors into one.

Unrealistic Expectations

Creatives usually have it worse when it comes to having unrealistic expectations from employees.

Workplace Ethical Dilemma Scenarios

Ethical dilemmas at work can make you feel as if you are being put on the spot, especially if it involves a workplace friend. The dilemma can leave you wondering if you should keep your mouth shut about the behavior, which would make you an accomplice, or tell a superior about what you have witnessed. While you don’t want to lose a friend, you also don’t want to be mired in a scandal and lose your job.

Ethical dilemmas can be internal as well, which can leave you feeling guilty if you do something that can be perceived as wrong by others, but seems harmless on the surface. What would you do in these scenarios?

Conducting Personal Business

With many companies using the Internet for workplace pursuits, what harm could come from checking your personal email or checking your bank balance while on the clock? Unfortunately, these activities are an abuse of your employee’s time and money because you are conducting personal business while you are supposed to be working for them.

There may be shades of gray when conducting personal business during company hours. You cannot foresee an emergency at home, so you may have to take a personal phone call at work occasionally and most bosses will understand those situations. However, clarify the rules on Internet and phone use for personal business with management or human resources.

Because employees tend to spend so much of their weekday hours on the job, they often are tempted to conduct personal business on company time. This can include setting up doctor’s appointments on company phone lines, making vacation reservations using their employer’s computers and Internet connections or even making phone calls for a freelance side business while on company time.

At first glance, this ethical dilemma is fairly clear: It is an abuse of your employer to conduct personal business on company time. But there are shades of gray here. What if your spouse calls to tell you that your children are ill? Is it OK for you to schedule a doctor’s appointment? A good rule of thumb is for an employee to check with his manager or human resources supervisors to clarify what counts as an actionable offense in the company.

Stealing on the Job

Suspecting a colleague of skimming funds from the company can put you on the spot, especially if the colleague happens to be someone you know well. While skimming, which is another term for embezzlement, is a crime, how do you handle the situation?

We all know embezzling from the company – taking money and hiding it by altering the records – is against the law. But what about taking home an occasional box of staples?

Just because the supply room is well stocked with boxes of everyone’s favorite pens doesn’t mean it’s okay for employees to help themselves to a pack for home. It may seem like a small thing, but when every employee takes something, it does add up against company profits. It is stealing, and an astute office manager will notice things going missing too fast.

Falling profits affect everyone in the company, even future raises, bonuses or layoffs. Regardless how small, taking something without paying for it is unethical.

Taking Credit for Others’ Work

Employees often work in teams to create marketing campaigns, develop new products or fine-tune services, yet rarely does everyone in a group contribute equally to the final product. If three members of a five-person team did all the work, do those three members demand to receive proper credit while pointing out that two members of the team did not pull their weight?

This is a thorny question. If employees single out their co-workers in a negative light, it could foment resentment. The same thing could happen, however, if all employees accept equal praise even though only a select few did the real work. The best way to resolve this ethical dilemma is to not let it happen. Team members should insist that all employees perform specific tasks to help complete a project.

Inappropriate and Harassing Behavior

Employees often don’t know what to do if they see one of their co-workers harassing another employee, either mentally, sexually or physically. Employees may worry for their jobs if they attempt to report a superior for harassment. They may fret that they’ll be labeled a troublemaker if they report co-workers who display inappropriate behavior toward other employees.

First, understand what constitutes harassment. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, an occasional comment, slight or incident – unless it’s very serious – isn’t characterized as harassment. It’s when the pervasiveness of such actions creates a work environment that would seem hostile, intimidating or offensive to most reasonable people.

The best way to resolve this ethical dilemma rests with the staff members who develop the company’s employee handbook. It is their job to include specific language that spells out that employees won’t be punished for reporting the harassing behavior or other inappropriate actions of their co-workers, and to make sure everyone knows and understands the policy and the consequences of violating it.

Tackle the Problems Head On

Many unethical workplace behaviors can be stopped early on or before they start by employers letting the staff know what the company considers to be unethical. Someone who takes home a few pens may not think of that as stealing until it’s pointed out to them. Many people don’t realize their attempts at humor could be offensive to others, or that hopping on the internet is an abuse of company time because “everyone does it.”

It’s not enough to put it in the company handbook. Even supplying copies to everyone assumes they will read it cover to cover. At minimum, employers should send a memo marked “Important” to everyone spelling out common practices that the company considers unethical as well as the possible consequences for them.

Ask each employee to send a reply email saying they received and read the memo. Better still, schedule a mandatory mini-training session where everyone hears the news, word for word. Take attendance, and record the session for those who were absent or anyone who wants to review the information at any time.

Honesty and Workmanship (ASE Certified Technicians)

The ASE-Certified Technician’s Code of Ethics emphasizes honest work. Because laymen don’t have the knowledge to repair vehicles themselves, they trust mechanics to do the work properly. Mechanics should not abuse the trust of their customers by performing unnecessary or substandard work. The first code of the ASE-Certified Technician’s Code of Ethics is: “I will strive to provide nothing but first-class workmanship.” The fourth code is: “I will recommend to an owner only that work on the vehicle which I believe to be necessary.”

Knowledge (ASE Certified Technicians)

The second code of the ASE-Certified Technician’s Code of Ethics is: “I will take advantage of every opportunity to increase my knowledge/skills concerning the work I am doing. I will dedicate myself to lifelong learning.” Becoming a mechanic takes a strong foundation of education and hands-on practice. As the technologies in motor vehicles change, mechanics must continually educate themselves and hone their skills.

Safety (ASE Certified Technicians)

The ASE-Certified Technician’s Code of Ethics addresses safety in a few of its codes, including the third code, “I will use only those materials that are proven to be safe and recommended by the manufacturer,” and the fifth, “I will treat an owner’s vehicle as I would my own.” A mechanic should never attempt to skimp on parts by using those not recommended by the manufacturer. Treating a car as if it were his own encourages a mechanic to ensure the safety of the vehicle, the quality of parts and repairs.

Standards (ASE Certified Technicians)

An ASE-certified mechanic’s work should live up to the ASE reputation of integrity and workmanship. The seventh code states: “I will conduct myself so as to maintain and increase the public respect for all ASE-certified technicians.” Mechanics, like doctors, policemen and most other professions, are thought of as one group, and all individuals should contribute positively to the reputation of that group. Vehicle repair shops that employ mechanics certified by ASE usually feature the ASE logo prominently on their storefronts. The logo is a testament to the quality of workmanship a customer can expect from ASE-certified technicians.

Reputation (ASE Certified Technicians)

The ASE-Certified Technician’s Code of Ethics also promotes loyalty and dedication to one’s employer. Because an automobile repair shop’s reputation depends on the work of its mechanics, each mechanic must ensure his work represents the shop well. This is what ASE calls “Service Integrity,” and it is the last code in the Code of Ethics: “I will practice Service Integrity, which means that to the best of my ability I will always work for the best interest of the owner, my employer and myself.” A mechanic should also care for the reputation of other mechanics, as specified in the sixth code: “I will attempt to correct any honest mistake made by another technician, without damaging the reputation of that person or their business.”

Additional News and Videos

Importance of Business Ethics

The Business Mindset – Every year we seem to hear about a company involved in some sort of ethical scandal affecting workers, customers, society as a whole, or the environment. This video covers examples of ethical dilemmas, companies involved in controversial business ethics, as well as the benefits of operating a company with high ethical standards.

Collision Repair Companies

ABC 20/20 – A 20/20 undercover investigation into repair shops reveals some shops scamming customers and charging for unnecessary repairs.

FOX 5 Atlanta – A fraud complaint filed with Georgia’s Insurance Commissioner reveals a bitter dispute between a chain of body shops and an independent appraiser critical of some of their repair work. At the heart of all this: people afraid to take their newly-repaired cars back on the road.

CNN – CNN’s Drew Griffin investigates claims that some insurance companies are skimping on repairing damaged vehicles to pad their profits.

Automotive Service Companies

Code of Ethics – https://www.bennettsautomotive.net/code-of-ethics 

Technician’s Code of Ethics – https://radair.com/blog/2012/11/15/technicians-code-of-ethics/

Ethics of Car Repair – https://independentmotors.net/ethics-car-repair/

CBS – Consumer Correspondent Susan Koeppen goes undercover with AutoMD to see if auto mechanics are taking their customers for a ride.

CBC News – Car dealership hidden-camera investigation reveals how service centers upsell you on unnecessary work.

CBC News – CBC Marketplace finds aggressive upselling and services paid for but not performed

Resources

https://futureofworking.com/workplace-ethical-dilemma-scenarios/ 

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/common-ethical-workplace-dilemmas-748.html

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/employees/

https://www.autoserviceworld.com/carsmagazine/a-question-of-ethics/

https://www.formpl.us/blog/workplace-ethics

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-unethical-behavior-workplace-10092.html

https://www.oxbridgeacademy.edu.za/blog/what-to-do-when-youre-facing-an-ethical-dilemma-at-work/