Ethics in the Workplace

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Institution

Ethics in the Workplace

Organizational ethics are the moral guidelines, beliefs as well as values that a firm’s leaders, employees, and other stakeholders apply while interpreting a situation before deciding the appropriate way to act. Some common workplace ethics include the ability to work in teams, employees, and their leaders demonstrating a positive attitude, punctuality, integrity, professionalism, responsibility, as well as remaining loyal to the organization (CommLab India, 2010). Values and value systems are the beliefs that impact one’s definition of what is wrong, right, fair, or good (National Restaurant Association).  Values are the foundation for ethical behavior. An individual’s ethical conduct and actions are dictated by their personal values and the common values of the society and organization.

One of the ways that organizations can maintain an ethical work environment is by providing a written code of conduct that defines the ethics to be maintained in the organization. All employees should have one, including new recruits. Training programs could also be used to instill ethics in the workplace. Through the leadership of top members of the organization, training programs could enhance ethical values at the firm. Performance feedback sessions could also assist organizations in establishing ethics in the workplace. Acknowledging good behavior during these sessions shows employees the values that the firm appreciates. Also, having a role model figure in the organization is a good way of establishing ethics in the workplace. Seniors should be the role model figure by acting in an upright manner, which will set an example for the rest of the employees (CommLab India, 2010). One of the ways that seniors can be role model figures is by clearly and frequently communicating the desired behaviors and their importance to the firm. Offering ethical training could be the most effective way of establishing moral behaviors in the workplace. Training sessions allow the desired behaviors and unwanted practices to be addressed in a common setting hence saving on time and costs.

Ethics are essential to an individual as it shapes their behavior. Despite training and guiding one on the best ethical practices, the decision is ultimately left to them on how they will act depending on the situation. Therefore, it is important that individuals make the most appropriate ethical decision in any given situation. Ethics is important to organizations as it demonstrates the values that the organization believes in (CommLab India, 2010). Upholding ethics positively impacts the performance of a firm. Ethical organizations are respectable and attract more talent, which results in the organization acquiring and retaining top talent (National Restaurant Association). Also, ethical organizations enjoy long term success and stability owing to their good reputation.

Hospitality Workplace Ethical dilemmas

As much as the expenses of my sales will reflect a decrease, which will please my supervisors and earn me a bonus, failing to raise the flag on the error of the invoice recording would be unethical. By applying the first test among the six-way test of ethics, the bonus would be a lie to both myself and the organization as it does not reflect the truth about the sales I made. The second test also shows the wrongdoing of concealing the error as it would be unfair to the supplier who would incur losses from the excess products shipped to the hotel. Additionally, the third test shows the harm of hiding the information as it could lead to damaging the relationship and destroying the goodwill between the hotel and the products’ supplier (National Restaurant Association). Also, it would damage the reputation between my supervisors and I if they realize the error later that I failed to inform them earlier. Proceeding with selling the products without mentioning the error would also not be beneficial to all concerned, which shows the immorality of such an action with regard to the fourth-way test for ethics. Therefore, the ethical decision I would make would be to inform my seniors on the error in the inventory recording and await their guidelines on the action to take with the shipping.

My colleague happens to be a good friend which makes my report regarding his work performance important to the company, my friend as well as myself. Therefore I would write a report that mentions the facts about him. Telling the truth would benefit all parties, which would be the ethical action according to the fourth-way test for ethics. As a supervisor, I need to display a tough-minded character and avoid being biased or favor my friend in reporting their performance (National Restaurant Association).   Additionally, failing to report the correct information regarding my friend will lead to degrading their performance even further, which would be a consequence I would not be comfortable living with as a result of my decision (National Restaurant Association). As their supervisor and senior, I would point out the areas that my colleague is not performing as expected during our discussion. Not only will it better the relationship between us, but it will also be a good role-model gesture as their senior.

Inventory Issues

Several ethical dilemmas are seen in the scene between the conflicting co-workers. One that stands out is the senior employee convincing the new employee to lie about the number of items on the invoice. The new employee wants to be honest, but his seniors persuade him to take any action that would not reflect the truth.  Also, the new employee finds it deceitful that the favorable recommendations on a product that the workers give are considered so since the workers got the product for free. Additionally, the new employee finds the actions of his colleagues to be theft as he considers their actions to be stealing. However, his colleagues view their actions to benefit both the store and the manufacturer as their recommendations boost sales of the product.

Some of the things that the new employee should do with regard to the situation would be to first discuss with the colleagues about the wrongdoing of their actions. The discussion will help the new employee guide his colleagues on the long-term damage taking the product and falsifying the records brings to the company and manufacturers. Also, it is important that his records on the invoice reflect the truth; hence he should write the appropriate figure (National Restaurant Association, n.d.). Reporting to his seniors would also be moral so that proper guidelines can be set on how employees get free items as well as policies on how they should recommend products to customers.

Free stuff is not stealing, but it is unethical to take free stuff without the owner’s consent. The employees might be taking the surplus products to test the items they are selling to their consumers but should do so under their seniors’ authorization. Without the owners, permit taking free stuff is stealing. The new employee should not change the invoice. Doing so would be falsifying the records, breaking the first-way test for ethics (National Restaurant Association, n.d.).  Instead, he ought to record the correct figures and counsel his colleague to return the item.

References

CommLab India. (2010). Ethics in the workplace. Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mUxMpMTT28

National Restaurant Association. (n.d.). Supervision In The Hospitality Industry. Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7chfmZ469lE&feature=youtu.be

National Restaurant Association. (n.d.). Supervision In The Hospitality Industry.