Unethical Practices in Workplace
In this deliverable, you will analyze the ethical implications of contemporary business practices and develop plans to institute ethical policies.
Scenario
It has come to your attention that some employees are engaging in unethical behaviors. You have heard rumors about these behaviors and other questionable actions by employees. You know that much of your company’s success involves maintaining a positive reputation in the community. That means you must act quickly to stop the unethical practices that have been occurring. You decide that the best method of dealing with this situation is to create a Code of Ethics to give employees a written guide and clarify expectations for their conduct in the workplace. Using your list below of the elements you plan to include, write your Code of Ethics.
- Discuss the unethical practices that have been occurring in your business and the challenges those could create.
- Explain the benefits of creating a code of ethics for your workplace.
- Write a Code of Ethics that would guide employees to conduct themselves in a way that aligns with your company’s values. Include at least 5 principles.
- Create a plan to provide ethics training to employees and monitor their compliance.
Unethical Practices:
As a company, we have recently become aware of some employees engaging in unethical behaviors, including theft, lying to customers, and mistreating colleagues. These behaviors not only violate our company’s values but also pose a threat to our reputation in the community. We take these allegations very seriously, and we will take all necessary steps to address them.
Benefits of a Code of Ethics:
Creating a Code of Ethics will provide clear expectations for our employees and help to ensure that our company’s values are reflected in every aspect of our business. It will provide a framework for ethical decision-making and help us maintain a positive reputation in the community. By demonstrating our commitment to ethical behavior, we will earn the trust of our customers, colleagues, and stakeholders.
Code of Ethics:
As a member of our company, we expect all employees to conduct themselves in a way that aligns with our values. This includes:
- Honesty and Integrity: Employees should act with honesty, integrity, and transparency in all their dealings with colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
- Respect: Employees should treat all colleagues, customers, and stakeholders with respect and dignity, regardless of differences in background or opinions.
- Fairness: Employees should act fairly and impartially in all business dealings and decisions, avoiding conflicts of interest and treating all parties with equal consideration.
- Responsibility: Employees should take personal responsibility for their actions and be accountable for their decisions.
- Compliance: Employees should comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and company policies, reporting any suspected violations of these to the appropriate authorities.
Ethics Training and Compliance Plan:
We will provide regular ethics training to all employees, including new hires, to ensure they understand and comply with our Code of Ethics. This training will include scenarios and case studies to help employees recognize and respond to ethical dilemmas. We will also monitor compliance with our Code of Ethics through regular audits and anonymous reporting mechanisms. Any employee found to have violated our Code of Ethics will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.