An individual's behavior and actions in organizations are judged by a set of values and guidelines and that primarily is organizations ethics. For an organization to strive to accomplish set of goals, ethical practices must be in place. Employers ought to follow the values and guidelines regarding ethical practice in the organization. The people working for them define institutions and organizations sometimes. Hence, they act as moral agents, and their actions can be held accountable. It is, therefore, necessary for organizations to provide training on effective, ethical practices to its workforce and ensure ethical behaviors and compliance policies adhere (Appelebuom, Laconi and Matousek, 2007).
Methods of promoting ethical practices in an organization
Ethical standards have been seen declining in many organizations, and this is according to a recent study done by the Ethics Resource Center. Ethical issues may range from employee misconduct embezzlement of a fund or financial fraud. Organizations need to operate on high moral and ethical values. To do so, the organizations need first to develop the code of ethics. Establishing a code of ethics in an organization will promote ethical behavior. It is of a need for employees to understand the organization's expectations regarding ethical and moral issues. A code of ethics, clarifies the management expectation and clear consequences of unethical behaviors are set (Appelebuom, Laconi and Matousek, 2007).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Promoting ethical behaviors in an organization occurs through taking disciplinary actions for misconduct and unethical behavior. Once an employee understands the consequences of unethical behavior, ethical practices will undoubtedly prevail. Imposing sanctions and fines will help in the promotion of ethical practice in an organization (Parker, 2009).
After imposing disciplinary actions to employees who practice inappropriate behavior, it is wise for an organization to reward proper ethical behavior. Steller ethical behaviors ought to be paid to encourage other employees to practice moral actions more often. Employees will adhere to ethical behaviors if one of them is rewarded for ethical behavior. Therefore, it is significant for organizations management to identify and pay employees who persistently stick to ethical practices at their workplace. The administration also needs to hire competent and professional employees who before getting the work already understand the importance and need to stick to ethical practices (Parker, 2009).
Unethical behaviors
Unethical behavior is actions that do not follow the regulations and values established by the organization. Unethical behaviors can exist between employees, how an employee conducts his daily routine. Unethical behaviors, though had to tell, practiced regularly without someone noticing in an organization. Inappropriate use of a computer can be classified as misconduct in an organization. Using the organization's internet to fulfill one's entertainment is unethical behavior. Shopping for personal belongings utilizing the organization's web or even resources would be deemed immoral (Parker, 2009).
Time misuse and wastage can also be deemed unethical in an organizational setting. Using the stipulated work time for performing personal duties is indeed immoral and the management ought to punish the employee, either by fining or suspending the latter. Coming to work late is one of the worst unethical behaviors practiced by employees. It is also the most criminal misconduct. Organizations have come up with strict policies to curb employee lateness. Employees face severe punishments such as suspension from duty, salary deductions or at worse firing an employee from the organization (Parker, 2009).
Unethical behavior may also include bullying and sexual harassments. Harassing co-workers is criminal misconduct, actually sexual harassment punishments are awarded by the judicial system. The misconduct's weight is too significant for the organizations to pass penalties, employees who have been sexually harassed file cases in the court and the accused could face jail time. Making demeaning remarks to a fellow worker is unethical in every aspect; this king of behaviors degrades organizations (Annderson & Bateman, 2007).
Underlying factors in unethical practices
The conditions underlying unethical behaviors in a workplace cannot only include personality traits. Nature of the workplace will also act as a condition for conducting unethical behavior. Unfair treatment by the organization's management can also be the underlying factor. A study done by Robinson and Bennet found stated that employee's psychological state of frustration was a critical factor in conducting unethical behaviors while in the workplace. Employee strategy in dealing with others is another factor that causes unethical practices in an institution. Lack of moral leadership in an institution is the always the cause of unethical behavior in any given workplace. Larders who practice unethical behaviors encourage and promote junior staff to exercise the same and hence creating a great workplace (Annderson & Bateman, 2007).
In conclusion, organizations need to come up with precise ethical core values that should be followed throughout the hierarchy chain of the organization. They must adopt a specific culture that will be developed and accepted by its employees, the employees, in turn, need to choose this frame of mind. Empowering employees who stick to ethical practices will not only instill ethical practices among other employees but also will act as a pre-cursor for innovations and new inventions in the organization. Behavior literature states that there is a higher probability that empowering employees will lead to ethical organizations practices.
References
Annderson, L. M., & Bateman, T. S. (2007). Cynicism in the Workplace: Some Causes and Effects. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 449-469.
Appelebuom, S. H., Laconi, G. D., & Matousek, A. (2007). Positive and negative deviant workplace. Ethical Behavior, 586-589.
Parker, M. (2009). Ethics and Organizations. London: Sage Publications.
