Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma.
Abstract
The ethical decision-making process paper focuses on the ethical guidelines for national and multinational organizations. With the business management and organizational planning and objectives, it is becoming paramount that employee human and labor right be in harmony with every prospectus developed by the firms. Contemporary issues that face employees are being reviewed and addressed such the human rights and labor relations guideline. The paper focus on rights of workers based on the ethical dilemma related to off the clock working. The decisions made at the management level must always ensure that they adhere to professional code of ethics that advocate for and promote human dignity, integrity, and labor rights
Introduction
Ethical dilemmas in business ethics prove to be a fundamental concept and principle for the successful and smooth running of any organization. Among the many ethical dilemmas that confront business entities include employees having to do work activities off the clock hours. Working off the clock hours is a widely faced ethical dilemma. It is only in highly established and formally unionized organizations that the vice exists under controlled and fair standards. The issue of ethical dilemmas has recently been triggered and set in motion by the explosive rate at which business organizations have started to expand their markets and operations to national and global levels hence calling for formal frameworks on the guiding principles and ethics (Asgary & Mitschow, 2002, pg. 239). The focus of the paper entails a critical analysis of working off the clock hour ethical dilemma which is a common tenet in many organizations and the approach employed to handle the case, the eight step decision-making model by Trevino and Nelson, and a summary of the business ethical issues unit concerning the same.
Summary of important points learned in the course
An ethical dilemma concerning business refers to a set of professional proposition statements and standards that define and point out to the right course of action. Not all professional propositions and declarations qualify as ethical dilemmas. It, therefore, implies that there are conditions that a statement or proposition must satisfy to be termed as an ethical dilemma. Three scenarios are existent; first, there must be a situation that calls for an individual who is referred to as an agent to make a choice from available options. Secondly, the alternatives or choice must be there to qualify a situation as an ethical dilemma. Finally, in an ethical dilemma, the situation will never be perfect regardless of the alternative or plan of action that is finally taken (Ferell & Fraedrich, 2016). For example, in working off the clock hour ethical dilemma, the agent is the employee who has the capacity to decide whether to work extend the working timeline and activities to unscheduled hours. The second variable is the alternatives; the employee has the option of squeezing the off the clock hour activities to within the legal time framework or abscond the off the clock activities entirely or quit the job if they feel used. Lastly is the variable regarding perfection, the situation can and will never be perfectly aligned with the expected margins no matter which line of action the employee will choose.
Handling ethical dilemmas
Ethical dilemmas confront managers, organizations, stakeholders and employees. The situation proves to be dynamic and ambivalent when it arises since it covers a broad range of challenges. Many scholars in the field of business and psychology have projected their different points of on the same. Models have been set up to assist managers and leaders to handle ethical dilemmas amicably. Such include the eight steps design by Trevino and Nelson (2002), the PLUS ethical decision-making model by the Ethics and Compliance Imitative (ECI). Additionally, there are different approaches based on psychological schools of thought that can be applied during the implementation of the ethical dilemma model chosen such as virtue, consequentialist, and deontological ethics.
General ethical dilemmas within organizations
Moral factors within organizations mostly revolve around employees. The cases include employee rights such as fair conditions of work, reasonable payments, and allowance, payment for off-work activities, the health and safety of the workforce, appropriate technology among others. Additionally, other ethical issues are prevalent such as corrupt practices, child labor, bribery and fair treatment for everyone (Jones, 1991).
A Case Study On Ethical Dilemmas Involving Workers Doing Off the Clock Activities in Light of the Trevino and Nelson's Eight Step Model to Ethical Decision Making.
The key facts
The fundamental tenets of an ethical dilemma that I have observed at my workplace relate to working off the clock by the workers. Working off the clock entails working outside unscheduled time without pay (Creighton & Stewart, 2005). The workers always have some duties and responsibilities or commitment that related to their work. The activities are to be handled outside normal working hours. Such activities include pre-shift meetings, appointments with the managers that at times require that the employee clock out among others.
The key ethical issues
According to the labor laws, employees are to be compensated for all the activities that they do at work, or outside work but related to their job (Herod, 1991) The scenario is a direct violation of the labor rights regarding the stipulated working schedule in the labor relations law. The employees here use the approach of virtue ethics where they try to be loyal to the company and for personal and professional growth by allowing themselves to work even without pay for the out of schedule duties. The goal of ethics is to do good for oneself and others (Aristotle, n.d.)
Relevant individuals and groups (stakeholders) that are affected by the dilemma
The people in the case of the workers working outside the scheduled time include the managers, the stakeholders, and the employees. The ethical dilemma facing the managers include how to ensure that the employees receive their full compensation against maximizing profits. The ethical dilemma of the shareholders aligns with that of the managers since they require the maximum value from their investment while reducing payment outages. Their approach is consequentialist ethics. However, their end concern is biased since it only favors their interest and demeans the employees (Trevino & Nelson, 1995). The third group is the employees who use deontological ethics that make them reason and stay consistent with the company standards despite conflicting values.
The possible consequences of specific and alternative actions (responses)
The situation of the workers working off the clock has specific and alternative actions. For example, the management should put into consideration the efforts and time of the workers spent carrying out their duties. The company should understand that the activities done off the clock culminate to the efficient and productive capacity of the employees. The philosophical school of thought approaches the alternatives is deontology that advocates for arriving at decisions and conclusions through logical reasoning and consistency of thought and principles (Barnett & Brown, 1994)
The relevant obligations from my analysis of the dilemma
In my view and analysis, working off the clock is not illegal or against the labor laws. What defies the laws is simply the failure of the management to acknowledge and appreciate the work the employees do. The employees should be compensated for all the man hours spent adding value to the organization. The decision to pay workers on their extra or unaccounted man hours motivates the workforce (Hart, 2004).
Community standards of integrity providing me with guidance
The need for the maintenance of an ethical and upright society remains crucial in the guiding of ethical guidelines and practices. The need for approval of ethical business processes that uphold the key business ideas guides the moral development and decision-making processes (Dunkelberg & Jessup, 2001). For instance, the maintenance of essential business ethics will ensure that the employees work with humility and respect and not for the money. In this context, the company will have retained the employees through increased production and the provision of efficient services (Trevino & Nelson, 2014).
Possible creative alternate actions
One of the possible creative alternative action entails ensuring that there is a good rapport between the management and the employees. The idea can be implemented by developing friendly and favorable terms of working such as payment for off the clock work hours and incentives for outstanding work (Doty, 2007).
Response by the organization
The issue of off the clock duties and activities remains contentious that the management strives to avoid discussing. The condition is a conventional case that many organizations have. However, the organization has shown interests to negotiate since the ethical dilemma problem is turning out to be an issue even the human rights activists and the government are interests in looking into and provide a sustainable solution.
Conclusion
An ethical dilemma is an organizational tenet that eats up the very same people that sustain the organization. The employees face an immediate social and professional problem where the decisions and merely handed to them. However, with the emergence of many organizations that are trying to go global, the authorities are keen to ensure that the long neglected facts of ethical dilemma and decision-making process are addressed as appropriately to protect the interests of all the parties involved.
References
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