Ethics

Ethical behavior in business refers to conduct that organizations expect their employees and employers to hold in the work place. Most organizations have formal documents referred to as "codes of conduct", that explain the accepted behaviors that should be exemplified in the work place. These codes of conduct are the foundation for employer behavior. They have laid out the rules and regulations that need to be adhered to by those in employment. This is mainly because an individual's conduct can have a direct affect on the relationships within an organization, thereby taking a negative toll on the overall performance of an organization, or creating a positive environment for work.

In any organization, it is unethical of an employee to be corrupt or dishonest. One is not supposed to accept or give out bribes in exchange for services or goods. An employee or employer who engages in corruption is said to have acted in an unethical manner. Taking excessive breaks or repeated sick leave are also unethical behaviors. This should only happen if there is a serious need to do so. Mild headaches do not count as reasons to utilize sick leave. Again, taking office supplies home for personal use is extremely unethical. Office property should be kept separately from one's personal property. In some organizations, taking of this property is viewed as theft (Jacobsen).

It is not only employees who can behave in unethical ways. Employers also have a common code of conduct and are required to act in a given manner. For instance, an employer is not supposed to use the company money for his personal expenses. Ethical behavior is to be cultivated within an individual from an early age. Without strong moral convictions, one can be easily swayed to engage in contrary unethical behaviors.

There are many good workers, but unfortunately good supervisors are not always easy to find. A boss is the person who controls the entire work process, and that is not always an easy job. A few ethical values that a good employer must possess are honesty, professionalism, and integrity. A good employer also needs to be able to handle stressful situations. The employer sets the tone for the day. Unfortunately all employers are not good at managing their employees. That is their main task. Most employers spend as many waking hours in the work place as they do at home, but unfortunately the work place may not have the stress free environment as the home. It can be stressful for an employer to deal with and manage employees who do not have the same ethical values. There are times when employers have to deal with unethical situations with their employees. In these cases an employer should always try to reach a meeting of the mind.

A good employer would deal with a problem by meeting with the employee first. They would try to understand what the problem is, and what can be done to fix this problem. A good employer will also need to be understanding. I have actually seen this dealt with in my office. I had a co-worker who was going through a divorce and has two small children. She was arriving at work late almost every morning and was often not coming to work. My boss talked with her about what was going on and my co-worker explained to her that her children had been sick and she has nobody to help her with them, so that is why she was taking off so often. My boss was very understanding, and they came to an agreement where my co-worker could still get her work completed, but her hours varied. A good employer has genuine concern over his or her employees, and would realize that they are people too with needs and feelings. Being able to put yourself in the shoes of your employees will make you understand better what they need to be able to produce better results.

Another example of positive employer behavior is acknowledging the employees' hard work and showing appreciation. Some ways an employer can do this is reward employees with time off or a few words of praise (Kane). A job well done goes a long way. These are a few ways the employer can motivate employees.

Any time you work with others you need patience. People do not think alike, act alike or work in the same manner or at the same pace. It is the employer's responsibility to patiently guide the employees in the direction that is most beneficial for the company. An employer is also a good teacher. Although some may not learn as quickly as others it is important for the employer to have patience while training and keep a positive attitude (Kane).

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