Introduction
Promoting ethics at work helps to build a strong company culture that benefits managers and employees. The public and private sectors are losing billions of dollars due to lawsuits involving the immoral and fraudulent conduct of their employees. At the same time, some businesses stay bankrupt, and others suffer after the employees empty the company’s coffers into their accounts (Imburani et al., 2019). It is crucial to think about how to develop more consistent and viable ethical behaviors in an institution since unethical acts are disasters.
GameStop and Tesla were analyzed from an ethical perspective based on the two recent stories about changes to the internal structure of two businesses. The previous analysis described the ethical issue that arises when businesses transition. After deciding on a specific ethical framework to address the issue, an effort is made to assess the success of the company’s actions and, possibly, to suggest more effective ones. A comparison of different ethical systems supports each analytical technique. Based on the two ethical frameworks mentioned, this paper provides my reflection on ethical management in the workplace.
Summary of Issues and Frameworks Discussed in Part A
The first ethical framework is the Justice framework, which is opposed to the dismissal of employees and is contained in the six parameters of ethical decision-making. Additionally, the business infringes on the rights of employees facing layoffs. The Virtuous Approach, also on the list, entails keeping employees on board and coming up with new ideas to increase market profitability while keeping GameStop employees occupied.
Meanwhile, the second ethical framework, discussed before, is that the brand’s popularity rises the company’s social and financial value, which may not be justified. The number of permanent employees at Musk’s organization is currently being reduced through a series of layoffs among employees following utilitarian ethical principles (Milmo, 2022). In this approach, Tesla can save on fees and distribute finances more carefully by paying hourly work to most of the staff operating under this contract. However, given Tesla’s planned expansion, reassigning employees to new positions abroad would be the most moral decision for the business from the perspective of the common good. In this manner, existing qualified professionals would take over the new factories and save jobs by hiring and educating foreign laborers. A large remuneration could guarantee an employee’s comfort and a good standard of living for a work trip.
Reflection on Your Future Workplace Behavior
Workplace ethics are a set of moral norms, beliefs, and obligations that employers and employees must uphold. All employees at the company are required to abide by this set of guidelines (Formplus, 2019). Employers put these ideals into practice to promote connections between employees and customers. Reflecting on the ethical management of the two mentioned ethical frameworks informs that employee perceptions of an organization’s ethical behavior can lead to favorable consequences and more significant financial results. Employee performance, work happiness, organizational commitment, trust, and citizenship behaviors can all be improved by perceived ethical behavior.
Based on previous analyses and learned in the classes, I can change my behavior in the future by obeying the company’s rules and regulations. Companies may require the employee to sign several documents, including the corporate powers and regulation agreement form, at the beginning of an employment contract. Standard rules include punctuality, inappropriate language, attire, and dress, and obeying these regulations would show the employee’s professionalism (Formplus, 2019). In this case, I think Communitarian ethics is the essential code of professional ethics that may influence workplace behavior. When addressing problems at work, effective communication is crucial to prevent misconceptions.
Moreover, strong working relationships also support each employee’s career advancement. Managers can influence employee performance through various techniques, including performance evaluations, constructive criticism, and behavior modeling. Therefore, I think productivity will also be increased directly or indirectly by establishing professional connections with coworkers or other professionals outside the job. Hence, professional and respectful relationships with the senior management can positively influence employees’ work behavior and benefit both parties.
Maintaining a balance between individual and societal interests and economic and social aims is a problem of corporate governance. The governance framework exists to promote resource efficiency and to demand accountability for the good stewardship of those resources. Corporate governance and regulation can effectively help firms attain their highest aspirations, as opposed to being intrinsically limiting (Clarke, 2022). Hence, the work of corporate governance structures influences employees’ behavior in a positive manner. Employee outcomes, including productivity, performance, dedication, self-confidence, and ethical behavior, have been linked to company culture (Clarke, 2022). One of the key factors influencing an organization’s performance is its culture, which has an impact on how its employees behave at work. A well-written code of conduct makes an organization’s mission, values, and guiding principles clear by connecting them to norms of ethical behavior. The regulation establishes desired conduct by outlining the ideals the business hopes to instill in its leaders and workers.
Conclusion
Every organization’s foundation is ethics, and regulations should be established to hold employees’ decisions and actions in check and ensure that the company’s values and ideals are upheld. The development of ethical cultures is represented in how businesses engage their suppliers and customers. Moreover, it empowers workers to respect one another and the company’s rules, enhancing their productivity and effectiveness. It increases respect, self-esteem, honesty, and trust while enhancing personal, group, and corporate values.
References
Milmo, D. (2022). Elon Musk says ‘inevitable’ US recession will probably come soon. The Guardian.
Clarke, T. (2022). Ethics, values, and corporate governance. Values and Ethics for the 21st Century.
Imburani, E., Ayub, J., & Mwavali, G. (2019). The effectiveness of ethics in the workplace. East African Journal of Business & Economics, 4(1), 22-30.
Formplus. (2019). 23 ethical & unethical behavior examples in workplace.