Professional ethics govern the relationship of people in business communication. Following ethical principles is an important quality of a manager who is an authority and an example for the staff. This article will analyze the common ways people violate these principles.
The essence of professional, ethical principles
Professional ethics is an integral part of a community united by one profession or field of activity. It is a combination of specific obligations and codes of conduct that uphold the moral standing of professional groups in society. The professional ethics task includes identifying moral standards and assessments, judgments, and concepts that characterize people in the role of representatives of a certain profession. Professional ethics develop norms, standards, and requirements specific to a particular type of activity. It can also be nurtured in the company’s employees and contribute to the growth of the corporate culture.
Due to the existence of moral and ethical principles of behavior in the company, the following happens:
- professional communities are formed, united by common ethical standards;
- employees develop clear ideas about what professional duty is;
- there is an understanding of professional responsibility;
- a list of qualities that an employee must possess to be successful in his profession is formed;
- the order of relations between employees is built;
- the principles of interaction between professionals and people using their services are being formed;
- the attitude to the results of labor, the quality of the performance of a particular work is determined.
Causes of violation of ethics and corporate culture
Conflicts of interest, deception of colleagues and business partners, and dishonest use of company property and proprietary information are typical ethical violations. Most of them fall within the scope of legal and compliance teams. In real life, non-compliance with the rules of professional etiquette is a common phenomenon. Managers use unethical business practices for a variety of reasons. Foreign managers include, among such reasons:
- Competition, which justifies the deviation from the ethics of management;
- The desire to increase its significance and efficiency, forcing, for example, to overestimate indicators in reporting;
- Reducing the value of such a concept as morality, which serves as an excuse for unethical behavior in the workplace;
- The influence of management on managers is to make certain compromises between personal values and the company’s interests.
Four reasons why it is important to respond to ethical violations
- Employee productivity
Companies always strive to ensure that employees work as efficiently as possible. But this will not be achieved if they are under stress, intrigued, or discussing gossip for most of the working time. As a result, the company’s business will begin to experience difficulties. For example, due to a toxic environment, talented and experienced employees will start to leave it. In addition, a decrease in attractiveness as an employer increases the company’s cost of attracting staff.
- Company culture
Where ethical standards are not followed, employees are forced to adapt to an environment where violations occur with impunity. Their mental perception (criticism) of their behavior changes, and they are ready to give up the rules. It leads to the destruction of the company’s compliance culture as a whole. Often, when ethical violations are investigated, specialists also identify other compliance issues, such as corruption, fraud, and illegal use of company data.
- Business reputation
In case of violation of ethical standards, information almost always goes into the public space. Because of this, the company’s value decreases, making it unattractive for investors and ordinary consumers.
- Risk management
If you act to prevent violations, conduct inspections and take action in time, you can avoid lawsuits and other claims.