Considering Managerial Ethics in the Workplace

Before starting your discussion, read the Forbes article How to make an ethical difference in your business (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. In the article, Zwilling (2013) stated,

Many people seem to have the sense that ethics are spiraling downward in business, yet most business professionals and entrepreneurs I know don’t believe they can make a difference. They don’t realize that if they don’t take an active role in the solution, they really become part of the problem. (para. 1

Review the five solutions to ethical problems described by Zwilling. Select one of the five solutions. Put yourself into the role of leader and evaluate how your chosen solution could be applied to an organizational ethical dilemma.

Ethical differences can sometimes be difficult to overcome for businesses, but it starts with the culture. A company that shows some of their ethics, mission, and values in their job postings begins the process of seeking those who believe in the same things. It can then be instilled in the onboarding and training. It should then be an ongoing function and identity of the company. This type of culture prevents some differences in ethics between individuals and the company. On-going training may include videos or testimonials that show even the lowest level employees what their work looks like for others. My company does this every quarter and some themes focus on top-level executives, while others may focus on how education directly impacted the students I serve and their families. By incorporating a culture such as this it will bring individuals closer to understanding their social obligations. A company in Denver, CO called Emergenetics understands the benefit of employee engagement provides to increase ethical behavior within the company (Dillion, 2017).

The Forbes article by Zwilling described a solution to overcoming an ethical dilemma by “standing in the shoes of affected parties to limit the gap between one individual and those who could be affected” (para. 4). My personal tendency is to play devils advocate in situations, almost to a fault, but it gives perspective. Perspective is what will ensue relevance to employees, shareholders, etc. when facing ethics in their roles. From my example in discussion 1, Volkswagen had been caught for their scandal of selling vehicles with faulty emission devices. If they had created a culture starting with their recruiting process, as well as made it a part of the daily activities of employees and shareholders they may have prevented their scandal. Using the video example, the company could’ve shown a video of other company scandals and the punishment that was faced for unethical practices. Another video could also use actors showing how unsafe manufacturing caused a parent to lose their child in accident–the list could go on. Another idea would be for paid time off to workers who did volunteer hours at a facility that worked with individuals who suffered injury or some other deficit due to safety/procedural errors. All of these ideas is to stabilize a culture of expectations, like-mindedness, and give all individuals perspective.

References

Dillon, C. (2017, April 03). Increasing Employee Engagement with Corporate Social Responsibility. Retrieved January 03, 2018, from https://www.emergenetics.com/blog/increasing-employee-engagement/

Zwilling, M. (2013, November 11). How to make an ethical difference in your business (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/martinzwilling/2013/11/17/how-to-make-an-ethical-difference-in-your-business/

Zwilling, M. (2013, November 11). How to make an ethical difference in your business (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/martinzwilling/2013/11/17/how-to-make-an-ethical-difference-in-your-business/

Para. 4

Stand in the shoes of affected parties. Once you understand who is affected, reduce the distance between you and them. Pick ones that differ from you the most and meet with individuals or group members. Verify or reject each interest and ground rule. You remove obstacles to the functioning of the ethics eye by bringing its objects closer.

Gonzalez-Padron, T. (2015). Business ethics and social responsibility for managers [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

Snider, J., Hill, R. P., & Martin, D. (2003). Corporate social responsibility in the 21st century: A view from the world’s most successful firms.Links to an external site. Journal of Business Ethics, 48(2), 175-187. Retrieved from https://library.ashford.edu/ezproxy.aspx?url=http%3A//search.proquest.com/docview/198088512?accountid=32521

Dillon, C. (2017, April 03). Increasing Employee Engagement with Corporate Social Responsibility. Retrieved January 03, 2018, from https://www.emergenetics.com/blog/increasing-employee-engagement/