Workplace Ethics: Doing Your Part

In today’s society, human resource departments are committed to helping build ethical environments within the workplace. When companies are not operating ethically, they can soon find themselves in dangerous positions.
Operating unethically can cause companies to experience a tarnished reputation, as well as loss of productivity within the workplace. Studies have shown that companies with the ability to build and maintain ethical workplace cultures are more financially successful and have more motivated and productive employees.
It’s imperative that organizations build and maintain a respectful ethical workplace. Not just for the benefit of their employees, but for the overall betterment of the company. Ethical decision-making is a critical issue faced by companies today. In Mastery’s Compliance is Just the Beginning: Ethical Situations to Consider training course, employees and administrators alike, learn three steps to legal and ethical thinking. Companies have choices when it comes to operating ethically.
1. Take the compliance test – Know the rules and the facts first!

• Are the choice you face legal?
• Do they comply with regulatory expectations?
• Do they meet your organization’s standards and values

2. Consider The Ripple Effect – This step is a process of evaluation.

• How will your decision affect others or how will be preserved?
• Does it reflect the organization and what it stands for?

3. Take the Gut Check: This is a process of reflection. Take a close look at your personal values and intentions.

• Does it feel like the right thing to do?
• Is your decision consistent to your values and benefits?

As an employee, you can do your part to assist your human resources team in keeping your workplace ethical. As individuals, we base ethical decision on whether something is right or something is wrong. The same approach should be taken within the workplace. As an employee, if you feel that a situation is on the breach of being unethical, it is your responsibility to report it to your supervisor or human resource representative.
Consider also using Mastery’s “Compliance is Just the Beginning: 3 steps to Ethical Decision,” or any of our other titles on ethics.