Ethical issues and ethical values are two relatable, yet separate terms every company should know.
What decision will you make in an ethical decision?
Picture this: a small business is about to launch a whole new product. This launch could boost the company into a nationally known brand. You are the project manager who has overseen the production of the new product since day one. Three weeks before the scheduled launch date, a CEO from a large corporation asks to speak with you. During your meeting he offers you two million dollars and an executive position within his company if you tell him about your company’s new product. Do you give him the information he is after or do you stay loyal to your small company? This, my friends, is an example of an ethical issue in business.
While this is definitely not the only ethical issue that business professionals run into, each situation that can arise in organizational ethics can be a moral tug-of-war. You know that angel and devil scenario that you have seen in cartoons? This is a visual representation of the struggle people face when deciding whether or not to follow their ethical values. So, what is the right way to deal with ethical issues in the workplace? Well, the answer is to keep your integrity high.
Defining Ethical Issues
At one time or another, companies, or their personnel, encounter ethical issues. This can spur from some type of conflict of interest or from other forms of ethical issues such as favoritism, promoting someone for a reason other than their qualifications, discrimination, etc. The point is that business professionals and business owners know the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Choosing to do what is wrong is where ethical issues only get worse. Combat this by promoting ethical values.
How to Promote Ethical Values
Abiding by company policy, meeting deadlines and staying away from workplace drama can make you a good business owner or employee, but it does not mean that you are demonstrating integrity. In order to promote ethical values in your business, there are a few things that can be done. The first is to set expectations. Let your employees know that you will not stand for lying, bad-mouthing coworkers, stealing one another’s ideas or belongings, or retaliation of any kind. Support the ethical values of open communication and honesty within the workplace. The second is to promote high customer service standards. This means keeping the customer in mind when practicing organizational ethics. Good, ethical values in a company show clients that your business is trustworthy and that you are a sound investment. People are not going to support a business that is dishonest and immoral. When your company has a reputation for being ethical, it also influences positive feelings from those in the community. Everyone wants to be liked; it’s just how you go about it that matters, especially through ethical values in the business world.
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