Many employers face the problem of unethical behavior within their firm. Still, most of them do not know how to regulate and manage such delicate issues and where to cross the line.
The employer's administration may independently establish certain limits of acceptable behavior and penalties for their violation within the limits of their authority. All these rules should be reflected in the local regulatory acts and communicated to all subordinates.
What behavior is considered unethical?
Unethical behavior is a vague concept, it includes the violation of both legal and generally accepted moral standards. If the behavior of one of the employees or the manager directly or indirectly negatively affects the psychological climate of the team or their moral values, it can be considered unethical.
Unethical behavior includes:
- Inadmissibly rude statements or gestures addressed to the colleagues;
- Persecution of a person or circle of persons for religious, racial and other differences;
- Harassment, mockery or insulting remarks;
- Manifestations of aggression and restraint;
- Neglect of subordination.
Judicial punishment in the form of a fine can be issued not only in case of verbal abuse. Comments posted on social media can be considered offensive, as well as abusive messages by personal email. In this case, the offender must not only pay the fine, but also apologize and delete all offensive messages.
The reason for unethical behavior mostly relates to company culture. If the top manager acts in violation of certain ethical standards, then the lower level of managers will also violate them. Workers have no desire to act ethically if the senior management is acting in the opposite direction, of no encouragement for an ethical behavior.
Other times, multicultural employment can lead to a conflict of cultures, when one person does something that seems completely normal for them, while offending another employee that sees things differently.
That’s why it is important to set up an ethical code, in order to make all employees follow the same rules at their common workplace.
Workplace ethics
In large companies, the standards of behavior of subordinates are as detailed as possible. The wording may vary, since there are no generally accepted norms approved by applicable law.
In cases where behavioral norms are prescribed for all employees and management, permissible penalties can be applied to violators. The most common measures are oral remarks, a written reprimand, a reprimand with a personal record, and the most severe punishment is the termination of the employment contract.
The employer does not have the right to prescribe measures that are not listed in the internal regulatory document. Penalty or deprivation of wages are illegal. If the manager considers the behavior of an individual employee unacceptable, but the penalties within the enterprise are too low, he will have to file a lawsuit for further consideration and a final decision. In some cases, the imposition of disciplinary sanctions in the workplace may be considered unacceptable.
