Ethical Issues in the Workplace

Question 1

• A fundamental aspect of ethics in business is honesty and integrity.
• This means behaving truthfully and fairly in all dealings with others, both inside and outside the company.

Answer 1

Honesty and Integrity

Question 2

6 Examples of Ethical Issue in the Workplace

Answer 2

• Honesty and Integrity
• Conflict of Interest
• Harassment
• Discrimination
• Theft and Fraud
• Privacy

Question 3

occurs when someone has competing professional or personal obligations that may interfere with their ability to perform their job duties objectively.

Answer 3

Conflict of Interest

Question 4

a type of discrimination that involves inappropriate physical or verbal behaviour.
It is important that employers have clear and enforced policies on what constitutes harassment.

Answer 4

Harassment

Question 5

occurs when someone faces unfair treatment on the basis of their race, beliefs, religion or age. A person can also face discrimination for other reasons, such as their gender identity. Direct - outright refuses to recruit an individual; Indirect - screening method to exclude certain groups.

Answer 5

Discrimination

Question 6

Theft involves stealing money from an employer by taking something without permission - fraud involves making false statements to obtain benefits illegally, such as an employee claiming sick days when they are not ill.

Answer 6

Theft and Fraud

Question 7

The line between work and personal life is becoming increasingly indistinct, due in large part to technological advancements.

Answer 7

Privacy

Question 8

Avoiding ethical issues in the workplace

Answer 8

• Uphold the rules
  -Train the staff
• Make reporting easy
• Invite feedback
  = Encourage accountability

Question 9

Familiarise yourself with the organisation’s ethical policies and
ensure that all employees are aware of what they are.

Answer 9

Uphold the rules

Question 10

If you work in HR, make plans to educate the staff on common ethical
issues and teach them how to avoid these situations.

Answer 10

Train the staff

Question 11

If you work in HR or policy-making, develop procedures to ensure that any unethical behaviour can be easily reported both internally and externally.

Answer 11

Make reporting easy

Question 11

Invite constructive criticism and different perspectives on how to improve the company’s work environment and current ethical policies.

Answer 11

Invite feedback

Question 12

Hold employees accountable when they violate the company’s policies concerning ethical behaviour and proper conduct. This is especially important if the violator is a leader in the office, such as the manager or supervisor.

Answer 12

Encourage accountability