Developing an Ethical Culture

Developing an Ethical Culture

OMM 640 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility

To: CEO

From: Kristy Short

Date: 1/31/19

Subject: Miss use of company’s time and products

Hello. My name is Kristy Short. I am currently working in your accounting/ Human Resource Department. Our office consists of 15 employees. I have been an employee of the company for more than five years. I have enjoyed my time with the company but recently an issue has risen I feel you need to be made aware.

Recently I have discovered that many employees are falsifying their time sheet. Our office consists of 15 employees. We do not have a time clock. The employees are responsible for filing out time sheet. Employees are supposed to arrive to work at 8 a.m., receive an hour lunch break, and leave work at 4 p.m. Some employees are arriving at work late, taking extension lunch breaks, and leaving early. Their time sheet on the other hand, indicates that they have worked an entire work shift.

In additional to the time sheet dispute, I have notice that some employees are using company’s products for their own personal use. An example of this is one was supposed to go out and pick up office supplies, in addition to picking up the office supply, the employee made groceries for her family. I observed another employee using the company’s printer for personal use, as well as taking company property home. This memo is not designed to get anyone is trouble, but I realize I have an ethical obligation to the company.

The general expectation within organizations is that those at the executive level, such as the CEO, chief financial officer (CFO), and board of directors, are primarily responsible for establishing and enforcing ethical behavior ( ). When employees see mangers participate in such behaviors, the employee is less likely to embrace company’s value. They assume that their behavior is expectable. Once this occurs the ethical practices continues to occur as a norm. If I was to sit back quietly and not say anything this is could become the company’s ethical culture. It could have a negative impact on the company. The employees also consider the stakeholders are affected by other employees stealing company time and material. Money spent on additional material and unearned time could go to bonuses or donating to the community. The company could also end up paying for overtime which was not earned. The result of stealing time cripples the company, both employee morale, and finances.

In order to fix this problem, employee should be warned about falsifying document such as time sheets. Employees should be notified that by falsifying such documents they are in danger of a suspension or termination. A time clock can be added to the department, as well as one individual to monitor the employee attendance at the end of the week. This can be conducted by the supervisor of the department.

Another solution to fixing the problem in creating culture ethic within the organization is following the six ethic culture elements in an organization. The elements are providing written standards, training, company resources provide to set up stations to help settle ethical dispute, a process to allow individual, like myself to report potential violations, performance evaluations, and a discipline system. Violators needed to know that there are consequences for their actions. Need Individuals that are reporting need to know that there is a haven for them

As of now our department has no ethic value, I feel that if the department receive an ethical leader who exhibit a strong moral character and integrity, we could restore honesty, and fairness. I am asking that you investigate providing this department with an individual who moral compass is greater than what is being shown now. If misconduct occurs in an organization with a weak ethical culture, it may remain undetected and escalate into an ethical crisis. On the other hand, subordinates and peers in an organization with a strong ethical culture are less likely to perceive a narcissist leader as ethical [ Gonzalez-Padron, T. CH7,pg 2].

Reference

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

Society for Human Resource management , Creating an ethical workplace