Ethics and Moral Standards

A presentation by -

M.D.Karthik,PGDM,1403

Facilitator – Dr.Buhril

What are ethics?

• Ethics refers to “the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group”.

Normative Judgments – good or bad? right or wrong?

Morality – accepted norms of society

• Ethics and the law are two different concepts.

Ethics, Fair Treatment and Justice

• Fairness & Justice - inseparable.

• Organizational Justice has three components – Distributive Justice – the fairness and justice of a decision’s

result.

Procedural Justice – the fairness of the process.

Interactional(interpersonal) Justice - the manner in which managers conduct their interpersonal dealings with employees.

• Fair treatment – “employees are trusted”

“employees are treated with respect”

“employees are treated fairly”

What Shapes Ethical Behavior At Work?• Individual Factors–own perceptions

• Self- Deception – Ex: “corrupt individuals tend not to view themselves as corrupt”

• Organizational Factors – Ethical lapses caused by:

1) “meet scheduling pressures”

2) “helping the company survive”• Ethics Code – A document that memorializes the standards the employer expects

its employees to adhere to.

• The Organization’s Culture

• The Manager’s role – send out right signals to employees

HRM’s Role In Promoting Ethics And Fair Treatment

Employee Discipline And Privacy• Discipline – to encourage ethical behavior

1. Rules and Regulations

2. Progressive Penalties

3. Formal Disciplinary Appeals Processes

• Four main types of employee privacy violations upheld by court –

1. Intrusion

2. Publication of private matters

3. Disclosure of medical records

4. Using employee names for commercial purposes

• Electronics Communications Privacy Act(ECPA)

Managing Dismissals• Involuntary termination of an employee’s employment with the firm.

• Termination at will – without a contract , either the employer or the employee can terminate at will the employee relationship.

• Wrongful Discharge – going against employee manuals or contractual arrangements.

• Grounds for Dismissal – 1)Unsatisfactory Performance

2)Misconduct

3)Insubordination

Lockouts,Layoffs,Retrenchments,and Closures In India

The Industrial Disputes Act of 1947 specifies conditions for lockouts,layoffs,retrenchments,and closures of establishments.