Why Ethics Matter in the Workplace

By: Lucas Coenen, A student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, as part of Heather Nelson’s Service learning project. 

Ethics in the workplace are one of the most sought out and looked at factors when employers are hiring and looking for new employees. Some may argue that Ethics may not be the most important and look at other factors while others may specifically look at the ethical view of their employees.

What are Ethics?

Before we can go into what are the most important and why they are important we must first define “ethics in the workforce.” According to Doctor Thomas Mahan of workinstitute.com “Ethics in the workplace can be defined as the moral code that guides the behavior of employees with respect to what is right and what is wrong regard to conduct and decision making.”

Some of the most important and sought out ethics and behavior in the workplace according to jobstreet.com include:

• Integrity
• Honesty
• Discipline
• Fair and Respect
• Responsible and accountable

It’s important to have Integrity with a good code of conduct and being honest. Honesty can go both ways and the more honest you are to the people around you the more you can rise above others. Those with good integrity and honesty are often relied upon compared to other employees. It’s important to have discipline and go above and beyond rather than just doing the bare minimum. Being fair and respect can also go both ways like honesty. If you respect others in the work force, you will likely receive the same treatment back. Finally, being responsible and accountable for those who you work with. It’s important to turn up to task and work on time and to complete them with the best effort possible.

Importance of ethics

Now that we know what ethics are in the workplace and some of the most important that employers are looking for, we must talk about why it is important to have such good ethical views. For starters having good ethics can help stimulate positive energy and behaviors for coworkers. Employers and Employees notice this positive energy and match that same energy and overall improves the workplace.

Making unethical decisions in the workforce can damage the look of companies and damage your own reputation. The decisions you make while working can affect the company’s own image. With social media being a factor for companies, ethical decisions can also affect the workplace while not working. Although there are many consequences there are many positive impacts your decision can have on the company. According to Doctor Mahan “An organization that is perceived to act ethically by employees can realize positive benefits and improve business outcomes.”

It’s very important to think over decisions while at the workplace. Is this morally, right? How will my decision affect the company? How can I help others around me? Always look to improve yourself and those around you. All these ethical decisions can help improve the workforce and environment while on the job.

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