Ethical Perspectives in Employment Relations and Human Resources Management

Introduction to Session Module Overview and Objectives

Copyright 2000 - South-Western College Publishing

Module 27 - 1

Ethical Perspectives: Relation to the Frame

HR Transaction Roles & Ethical Perspectives
Fairness of selection and promotion criteria and processes Discipline and just cause standards

HR Translation Roles & Ethical Perspectives

HR functions regarding drug use or affirmative action Employee rights of privacy vs. employer needs Cross-cultural differences impact
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Module 27 - 2

Ethical Perspectives: Relation to the Frame (cont.)

HR Transition Roles & Ethical Perspectives
Selection of caring supervisors Use of leave policies responsive to work-family conflicts Reduction of pay differentials

HR Transformational Roles & Ethical Perspectives

New standards of ethical best practices Use of employee involvement and team systems Collaborative and cooperative labor relations
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Module 27 - 3

Ethics, Morals & Philosophy

Ethics: a branch of philosophy dealing with the good Morals: individual or culture-bound values that may or may not have foundation in ethics or philosophy

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Module 27 - 4

Some Contrasts Between Ethics and Morals

Ethics require scrutiny and careful objective evaluation Morals can be arbitrary, contradictory or inconsistent Something can be ethical and moral OR Something can be ethical and immoral OR Something can be moral and unethical

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Module 27 - 5

Some Contrasts Between Law and Ethics

Something can be ethical and legal Something can be ethical and illegal Something can be unethical and legal Something can be unethical and illegal

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Module 27 - 6

Political Correctness and Good Manners

Political correctness includes being sensitive to others and avoiding derogatory language Some argue that political correctness can be overused, but political correctness can assure ethical behavior

By exercising Good Manners, Etiquette, and Civility, professional and social commerce can be lubricated
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Module 27 - 7

Judeo-Christian and Non-Western Traditions

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam emphasize similarities in ethical perspectives relating to work

Global companies must learn differences of business ethics under Asian and African religious and philosophical traditions
Ethical behavior may or may not be consistent,however, with religious teachings
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Module 27 - 8

Gender Differences and Ethics

Many ethical traditions historically treated mens and womens workplace contributions differently and unequally

Contemporary thinking is moving toward reducing most gender-based workplace differentials

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Module 27 - 9

Conflicts at Work Regarding What Is or Is Not Ethical

Workplace conflicts can involve competing core values, perceived inconsistencies between actions and values, or varied perceptions of reality Inter-group conflicts may occur between
Employees and their employer, OR Labor union leaders and managers

Intra-group conflicts may occur within groups such as

Union members disagreeing on contract goals OR Varied management departments strategic plans
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Module 27 - 10

Strategic Issues in Workplace Ethics

Overview of varied examples where work conflict can occur regarding what is ethical, moral, legal, or good manners Workplace ethics can involve contrasting rights of individuals, groups (such as of employees), or the employer Ethics at work can involve contrasts in rights of life and safety, privacy and freedom, and property and pursuit of happiness
Copyright 2000 - South-Western College Publishing

Module 27 - 11

Selection and Promotion of Employees and Supervisors

Job description criteria and measurement fairness Pre-selection of eventual winners Caring person values and skills

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Module 27 - 12

Rights to Collect Information vs. Rights of Privacy

Monitoring for drug and alcohol use Collecting data on work lives and performance Screening for dexterity, communication skills, and personality traits Computer performance monitoring, electronic eavesdropping, and video camera surveillance

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Module 27 - 13

Income Differentials Within Workplaces and Society

Compensation and pay structures within the firm Gender-related pay differentials CEO compensation in relation to others in the firm; and to minimum wages and living wage ordinances

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Module 27 - 14

Punishments, Progressivity, and Just Cause in Discipline Cases

Procedural justice and progressive, corrective discipline systems Just cause standards in union and non-union settings Employment-at-will versus wrongful discharge exceptions

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Module 27 - 15

Occupational Health and Safety

Workers compensation acts and disputed claims OSHAs general duty clause Cost benefit analysis in standard setting and enforcement Reproductive hazards: health versus nondiscrimination
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Module 27 - 16

Employee Involvement and Quality of Worklife Enhancement

Varied programs seek to enhance employees worklife quality and increase their involvement in decision-making Ethical conflicts can occur over the sharing of productivity improvements and the impact on employee numbers

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Module 27 - 17

Labor--Management Relations
Rights of employees to unionize vs. employer rights to operate union-free Union rights to collect dues and service fees and limitations to do so under:
Right-to-work state laws and Employee Beck rights and Unions duty of fair representation

Union and employee rights, and limitations, to strike Collective bargaining processes under:
Traditional labor-management negotiations and Interest-based (win-win styles of) bargaining
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Module 27 - 18

Affirmative Action Programs vs. Seniority and Other Systems

Preferences under Affirmative Action programs
Collective bargainings traditional Seniority Principle

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Module 27 - 19

Workforce Reductions vs. Job Creation Efforts

Labor-management conflict over workforce redundancies Causes of plant closings and conflicting ethical claims of stakeholders including employers, employees, and communities Impact of privatization of public sector workplaces Various responses to downsizing pressures have included:
Humane downsizing policies Labor-management-community job creation efforts, and Employee Stock Ownership Plans
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