Companies often develop codes to set regulations for an ethical organizational e

nvironment. This paper will discuss how a companyâ s diversity and ethic policies im
pact a managerâ s decision on various aspects of employee relations while still being
legally compliant and maintaining an efficient and cost effective operation.
In the world today, managers need to make many kinds of decisions. Starting with
employee relations while looking at the legal implications and cost effectivene
ss.
Moralistic corporate paradigms that are made up from ethic codes are commonly us
e by corporations. These types of codes outline sets of principles that theoreti
cally enhance employeesâ ethical orientation and usually decrease unethical conduct.
â Adopting diversity policies offer clear benefits for companies and the workforce, s
uch as resolving labour shortages, greater product innovation, enhanced marketin
g opportunities and a better corporate image. The findings of a recent study by
the European Commission reveal additional positive business outcomes, such as i
mproved communication processes and managerial styles, as well as reduced staff
turnover and absenteeism.â
Managers; must be trained in the handling of many different situations; such as
age discrimination, drug and alcohol problems and must use reasonable judgment a
nd rationality. Many managers will discriminate in such a way that the ethics
of the company can be brought into question It is imperative that this be handle
d as legal lawsuits are easily won.
An ethical dilemma in the workplace can affect everyone, from the newest employe
e to the managers and executives. These dilemmas can be from an employee cheatin
g on a time card, illegal drug use or a safety violation.
One of the ways to handle ethical problems is by using the team concept. Teams
fulfill many of the emotional needs of the employee:
The need to achieve; the need to belong; and the need to contribute.
If employees feel a bonding with the team many ethical problems do not arise, an
d if they do they are reported to the team in a way that does not alienate all e
mployees. Ethical problems can occur when the bonding of the team becomes more
important than the relationship with the employer. This has happened when the n
eeds of the employee is consistently ignore by the employer. For example, base
wages do not keep up with the general population.
Although managers must delegate, managers should be aware of the status of their
staff. A very important part of the managersâ role is the evaluation process. Th
is is essential for the firing of an inefficient employee. An evaluation that i
ndicates an employee is not doing the best he/she can do, allows the manager to
determine the value of cross-training, re-training and to maximize the performa
nce management.
The U.S. Supreme Court established the first mandatory training guideline in 199
8 that stated all employers should train their employees and managers on workpla
ce harassment not only sexual harassment. Training needs to be periodically and
training should cover other categories such as race, age, disability and nationa
l origin.
The 1999, the second U.S. Supreme Court established mandatory training guideline
s that stated supervisor(s) should get additional workplace discrimination train
ing because there are many forms of harassment, not just sexual. Ones who are i
n a position of power can use this power in a form of discrimination throughout
their employment to include such things as hiring, performance management and te
rminations. Again in 1999, the third federal mandatory guidelines were establis
hed (EEOC Guidelines) for harassment and discrimination training for all employe
es, which should be done on a periodic basis. Having this training in the workp
lace, the employer can ensure that employees understand their rights and respons
ibilities concerning workplace harassment and what to do if it happens to them.
In 2002, Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) was enacted, which states publicly traded comp
anies must disclose if they have a Code of Conduct for senior leader, or explain
why not. Sox createsâ a cause of action for whistleblowers who suffer discriminati
on because of filing a complaint of ethical violations. Today, SOX discriminatio
n claims now trump classis discrimination claims.
A Code of business Conduct is a necessary guide for recognizing and resolving et
hical dilemmas. It deters wrong doing, encourages honest and ethical conduct, an
d ensures conformity with the law. Knowing the code helps identify ethically ch
allenging situation and helps with making the right decisions. It also encourage
s an influence prompt internal reporting of potential violations, and ensures ac
countability for everyone it covers. The Code of Business Conduct is one of the
most important communications received regarding workplace conduct. No single co
mmunication lists all the ethical dilemmas that will be encountered or how to re
solve the dilemma. Having knowledge of policies, laws, and the code is importan
t in recognizing and resolving, but by incorporating these lessons into everyday
life they will have meaning and create a culture of integrity. When this happe
ns, we are better able to support and resolve ethical dilemmas even if they are
not listed in the code.
Making organizations activities more visible or transparent better ensures that
ethical dilemmas are supported and helps build trust. Required disclosure, enha
nced communication, and reporting systems aim to make the organizations activiti
es more visible to all so that wrong doing is deterred, honesty and ethical cond
uct are showcased, accountability is enhanced and challenges are more quickly id
entified. This if often called making the organization more transparent. It is a
critical step that makes it easier for everyone in and out of the workplace to
identify ethical dilemmas.
In 2004, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines (FSGs) came to be. These rules set ou
t a uniform sentencing policy for defendants, including employers. It mandates t
hat the training must be formal, effective and periodical for ethics and legal c
ompliance for all organizations whether publically or privately held, government
, non-profit, etc.
Each employee is responsible for their own personal conduct and ensuring that it
is lawful, but this does not make it necessary for you to make complex legal ju
dgments. In most cases it is obvious, however if you are not sure if something i
s legally permitted you should report it to your manager and get assistance from
Human Resources or the legal department.
Another, important factor in ethics is the workplace is the Employee Handbook, a
ka Policy and Procedures Manuals. This lays out all possible interpretations of
the rules of society in relationship to the workplace you are involved in. The c
ompany employee handbook is one of the most important communication tools betwee
n the company and the employees. The company employee handbook should set forth
expectations of what is expected of the employee and what they can expect from
the company. The handbook should give enough detail not to overwhelm, be clear a
nd unambiguous as possible. An employee handbook should be worded very carefully
, because in some cases it has been use in legal disputes.
The role of the Human Resource person is to ensure all rules of labor and federa
l guidelines are followed by management. Many feel that the human resource pers
on is for the employee but a true human resource department follows all discrimi
nation rules, sets the rules for harassment policies so all managers have a temp
late to follow. A pretest should be given to all employees to determine whether
staff is aware of all the possible ways an employee is treated differently becau
se of his or her sex or sexual orientation. Training is also important for mana
gement as to the handling of complaints to avoid his/her own bias.