ETHICS, EMPLOYEE RELATIONS AND FAIR TREATMENT AT WORK LECTURE 9

ETHICS AND FAIR TREATMENT AT WORK Why include ethics in HR? Ethics is not just theoretical. It is an essential part of business. Human resource decisions are loaded with ethical dilemmas. Most employers strive to maintain positive employee relations between themselves and their employees.

THE MEANING OF ETHICS The principles of conduct governing an individual or a group; specifically, the standards you use to decide what your conduct should be.

MORALITY Society’s accepted standards of behavior, and always involves basic questions of right and wrong.

ETHICS AND THE LAW The law is far-from-perfect guide to what is ethical, because something may be legal but not right, or right but not legal. The law may not be a foolproof guide to what’s ethical, but some managers treat it as if it is.

JUSTICE Distributive justice- refers to the fairness and the justice of the decision’s results. Procedural justice- refers to the fairness of the process.

ETHICS, PUBLIC POLICY, AND EMPLOYEE RIGHTS Societies don’t rely on employers’ ethics or sense of fairness or morality to ensure that they do what’s right. Societies also institute laws- these lay out what employers can and cannot do.

WORKPLACE UNFAIRNESS Unfair treatment reduces morale, increases stress, and has negative effects on performance. Employees of abusive supervisors are more likely to quit, and to report lower job and life satisfaction and higher stress.

WHY TREAT EMPLOYEES FAIRLY? Victims of unfairness exhibit more workplace deviance, suffer a range of ill effects including poor health, strain and psychological conditions. Perceptions of fairness relate to enhanced employee commitment; enhanced satisfaction; enhanced organizational citizenship.

WHY TREAT EMPLOYEES FAIRLY? Unfairness leads to increased tensions between the employee and his or her family or partner. Aggressive supervisors undermine their subordinates’ effectiveness and may prompt them to act destructively.

WHAT SHAPES ETHICAL BEHAVIOR AT WORK? Bad Apples- people who are inclined to make bad choices. Bad Cases- ethical situations that are ripe for unethical choices Bad Barrels- company environments that foster or condone unethical choices

OUTSIDE FACTORS THAT MOLD ETHICAL CHOICES Job related pressures- people do unethical things because of work pressures. Pressure from the boss- when supervisors exhibit ethical behavior, the level of misconduct drops at work. Ethics policies and codes- effective outside source that employers can use to signal that their companies are serious about ethics.

OUTSIDE FACTORS THAT MOLD ETHICAL CHOICES Enforcement- codifying the rules without enforcing them is futile. Ethics audits address topics like conflicts of interest, giving and receiving gifts, employee discrimination and access to company information.

OUTSIDE FACTORS THAT MOLD ETHICAL CHOICES The organization’s culture- the characteristic value, traditions, and behavior a company’s employees share. Managers should create a culture which includes- Clarifying expectations Using signs and symbols Providing physical support

USING HRM METHODS TO PROMOTE ETHICS AND FAIR TREATMENT Selection- hiring more ethical people. Fairness- if employees perceive that the hiring procedure does not treat people fairly, they may assume that ethical behavior is not important. Training- ethics training involves showing employees how to recognize ethical dilemmas, how to use codes of conduct to resolve problems, and how to use personnel activities to in ethical ways. Performance Appraisal- should be clear and fair Reward and discipline- reward ethical behavior and penalize unethical behavior.

BULLYING AND VICTIMIZATION Imbalance of power. Intent to cause harm. Repetition Forms of bullying: Verbal Social Physical Cyberbullying

EMPLOYEE PRIVACY Invasions of privacy are neither ethical nor fair. 4 main types of employee privacy violations are Intrusion Publication of private matters Disclosure of medical records Appropriation of an employee’s name or likeness for commercial purposes.

EMPLOYEE MONITORING Employee monitoring is pervasive. Employers monitor employees’ electronic activities mostly to improve productivity and to protect themselves form computer viruses, leaks of confidential information, harassment suits.

MANAGING DISMISSALS Involuntary termination of an employee’s employment with the firm. Using effective selection practices including assessment tests, reference and backgroud checks, drug testing, and clearly defined job descriptions can reduce the need for many dismissals.

MANAGING DISMISSALS Termination at will- means that without a contract, either the employer or employee could terminate at will the relationship. Wrongful discharge- An employee dismissal that does not comply with the law or does not comply with the contractual arrangement stated or implied by the firm via its employment application forms, employee manuals, or other promises.

GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL Unsatisfactory Performance means persistent failure to perform assigned duties or to meet prescribed job standards. Misconduct is deliberate and willful violation of the employer’s rules and may include stealing, rowdy behavior, and insubordination (form of misconduct- disobedience and/or rebelliousness). Lack of qualifications for the job is an employee’s inability to do the assigned work although he or she is diligent. Changed requirements of the job refers to an employee’s inability to do the job after the employer changed the nature of the job.

EXIT & TERMINATION INTERVIEW Exit Interview- Interviews with employees who are leaving the firm, conducted for obtaining information about the job or related matters, to give the employer insight about the company. Termination Interview- Interview in which an employee is informed of the fact that he or she has been dismissed.

GUIDELINES FOR THE TERMINATION INTERVIEW Plan the interview carefully Get to the point Describe the situation Listen Review all elements of the severance package Identify the next step