Free Conflicts Over Unethical Behavior In The Workplace Essay Sample

Tradition used to mean all the amazing things our ancestors have crafted from pure skills and hard work. It used to equate to something that I can be proud of. However, the real world has taught me that tradition, culture, and norms are not always rainbows and butterflies like how I have always perceived them to be. Apparently, tradition generally signifies customs or beliefs passed down from several generations, be it something good or evil.
Upon entering the organization that I am currently in, I have learned that people who have blatant disregard for what is just and ethical actually exist. That or they simply value living a lifestyle way above their means more than caring about morality. Engaging in unethical behaviors seems to have become a norm, or a part of the tradition, that drawing a clear line between what is ethical and what is not poses a challenge. In that case, norms and traditions can prove to be dangerous—they tend to make the unacceptable, acceptable.
Based on the questionnaire, the most frequent and most serious behaviors that I think most of the employees engage in, and that I will never dare do as I have a fixed set of goals which exclude behaving unethically, are divulging confidential information, accepting gifts/favors in exchange for preferential treatment, and not reporting others’ violations of company policies and rules. Perhaps I have this perception of them because some of my colleagues were already caught behaving unethically and consequently getting suspended in the past.
On the one hand, it is interesting to note that the aforementioned most frequent behaviors engaged in by most employees reward transgressors with monetary gains or other things of similar kind. The ridiculously low salary and various situational pressures play a huge role in actually pushing employees to behave in a manner that is beneficial on their part but detrimental for the organization. On the other hand, behaviors less frequently engaged in by most employees are those where there will be little to no opportunity for monetary gains.
But be it the situational pressure that motivates these employees to act unethically, or the filthy system that allows for opportunity to commit such transgressions, I believe that the management definitely can and must control unlikely behaviors as the ones mentioned above. Specifically, the management must devise a system that leaves no room for committing the following behaviors: divulging confidential information; claiming credit for someone else’s work; accepting gifts/favors in exchange for preferential treatment; authorizing subordinate to violate company rules; calling in sick to take a day off; concealing one’s errors; taking longer than necessary to do a job; using company services for personal use; doing personal business on company time; taking extra personal time; and not reporting others’ violations of company policies and rules. Otherwise, conflicts are sure to arise in the work place. The work environment will not be conducive to productivity and growth and the general public will have negative impression and lowered trust on the organization. As a result, the targets and objectives cannot be met and employees will be urged to also act unethically. Indeed, the organization is doomed to fail and all the efforts to augment the value of the organization will be deemed futile. Fortunately for us, with strong will and a leap of faith, change is possible and good governance can be effectuated. It has been done in other organizations; if they can, then why can’t we?