Introduction
The success of any organization depends on the set of moral aspects of governance and conduct that influence the operations of the firm. In other words, business organizations should embrace the application of well-founded principles of right and wrong that stipulate the employees’ obligations and benefits to the community in the execution of duties and tasks. Further, ethics forms a foundation from which the organizational laws as well as societal norms emanate (Niles, 2009). On this note, the organizations have the responsibility of continuously reviewing the personnel’s moral beliefs and conducts to shape the practices of the firm towards standards that are reasonable and solid-based. Therefore, the assortment of attributes that the organizations consider vital ensures continued growth.
For instance, absenteeism and lateness in job reporting by the employees exposes the firm to the threats of diminishing production levels as well as decreasing tendencies in meeting their clients’ demands. As such, organizations have responsibilities of ensuring an attendance work-ethic aspect that guarantee the success of the business operations thereby enhancing the firms’ course of survival. Embracing the sense of teamwork in the company is another important work ethic (Cherrington, 2000). Through joint efforts, the organizations achieve expanded levels of cooperation and trust between different levels of management. Further, employees exhibit positive mind-sets that inspire the administrations to invest in the personal progress of the workers.
As a result, the personnel are provided with the prospect of advancing their proficiencies and skills in the execution of the duties within the firm. Moreover, work ethics are also demonstrated through the organizational skills (Connor, 2009). In essence, structured organizations are able to prioritize their business responsibilities as well as effective management of their time. As such, the firm is capable of identifying its employees’ attributes that are necessary principles for recognizing the potential managers.
Application of work ethics
As indicated, work ethics is critical for the attainment of the organizational goals. Studies indicate that organizations that uphold the workplace ethics have higher chances of increasing their productivity and attainment of goals (Arrunada, 2010). In addition, employees who uphold work ethics have increased performance and productivity. Further, studies indicate that there is a variation in the adherence to work ethics of the organization by the workforce. For instance, employees under unions do not possess ethical cultures. In other words, strong ethical cultures are practiced comfortably among employees that are not unionized. Similar characteristic is observed among the younger employees. Studies indicate that strong work ethics can be inculcated easily in the younger employees (Arrunada, 2010). In addition, employees in supervisory or in management positions observe ethical behaviors as opposed to the junior employees. Therefore, the observance and practicing work ethics varies within the workforce.
Nevertheless, workplace ethics are critical for the success of the organization. The benefits of work ethics range from asset protection to the decision-making process. In between the spectrum is the increased productivity, enhanced teamwork, increased reputation or public image. The benefits are likely to improve the performance of the firm as well as productivity (Baehr & Nerad, 2003). In general, work ethics indirectly improves the performance and productivity of the firm.
Asset protection
Ethical cultures that encourage effective use of resources encourage appropriate asset management (Niles, 2009). Therefore, employees who abide by such ethical values are likely to manage and protect the assets of the company. However, the firm must improve workplace environment. The improved workplace environment includes provision of proper remunerations, improved work conditions as well as encouraging workplace diversity. In other words, employees are only capable of observing work values in an environment that encourages the application of such principles (Connor, 2009).
Enhanced teamwork and performance
Ethical practices among the workforce have the capability of bonding workers hence fostering teamwork. Teamwork has a direct relation with increased productivity and performance of the workers. Therefore, work ethics increases productivity among the workers through encouraging teamwork (Cherrington, 2000). Moreover, work ethics that take into consideration the values of the workforce helps the organizations to align their ideals with the morals of the employees. Aligning the standards of the organization with values of the workforce increases teamwork, integrity and transparency among employees.
Public image
The reputation of the company is enhanced through ethical decisions and practices. Ethical considerations include corporate social responsibilities the firm undertakes. Through such social responsibilities, the firm is considered to be valuing the development and growth of the communities. The responsible activities also enable the public to perceive the company as ethical and operate with integrity and honoring the values of the communities. Such perceptions increase the firm’s reputation, which is critical for its growth and development (Hill & Petty, 2005).
Importance of work ethics to an organization
Work ethics together with strong business moral principles remains critical to the growth and development of the company. Most of businesses organizations agree that promoting good working and ethical standards is one of the key successes (Hill & Petty, 2005). The reason is that strong work ethics have direct influence on the workers’ efficiency, conduct as well as their relationships. Incorporating strong work ethics in the mission and vision statement of the company is the beginning of promoting these good work values in the general conduct and practices of the firm (Connor, 2009). In addition, the human resources must design and put programs in their employment procedures and train employees on the importance of having strong work ethics.
Several research findings indicate that having strong work ethics that are practicable promote trust among the stakeholders and the workers, which in turn increases employees’ efficiency and productivity. Strong work ethics concerned with resources management promotes efficient and effective use of the resources (Niles, 2009). The relationship between good work ethics among employees and business processes as well as corporate social responsibilities has also been found to be direct. Therefore, companies promoting good moral values among workers and practicing social responsibilities have good reputation. Good reputation results in increases profits as well as long-term benefits to the company. Moreover, good reputation increases public confidence on the company and its products and services leading to increased sales (Niles, 2009).
The relationship between work ethics and business processes
Businesses are currently integrating the needs of all their stakeholders into their corporate strategies. Incorporating the interest of employees, customers and shareholders into the corporate strategies is beneficial to the firm not only in the general growth and expansion but also in the profit generation (Geren, 2011). The task of the management is to seek an optimal balance while responding to the diverse needs of employees and various groups as well as constituencies affected by decisions that are being made. In other words, the organizations need to not only respond to the concerns of employees, customers and investors, but also other stakeholders including suppliers and communities in which the firm operates (Gilman, 2005). Through the consideration of the workers’ conduct, the assumption is that the enterprise has inculcated ethical responsibility among the employees. The inculcation and upholding moral values among workers provides key dimensions of firms’ responsibility that managers must take into consideration in order to remain relevant in the modern marketplace.
In essence, incorporating the moral values of workers in all businesses processes is critical for the development and growth of the organization (Gilman, 2005). The workforce undertakes all the activities of the organizations. Therefore, the activities of the firm must be linked directly to the conduct of the workers. The behaviors of workers determine the success of the business operations, which in turn leads to the accomplishment of the goals of an organization. The employees’ conducts that is ethical regarding the expectations of the organization results in successful operations and increased benefits. There is direct relationship between good moral values among workers and the success of the business processes.
The relationship between work ethics and the customers
The most important dimension is how the moral values of the employees influence the relationship between the firm and its customers. According to Baehr and Nerad 2003, attention is now shifting from the conduct of the producers to the effect of their accomplishments on the consumers as well as the value derived from such behaviors. In fact, putting customer first is the norm of current business practices (Hill & Petty, 2005). Therefore, employees should have conducts that are considered ethical and socially responsible by the customers. The researches indicate that practices as well as conducts that emphasizes on the value addition to the needs of the customers ensures lasting relation and enhances the performances of the company.
Workers’ moral values that are oriented towards enhancing the needs of the customers distinguish the company and leads to its success. Successful companies always built long-lasting relations with customers through emphasizing on the customers’ needs and offering quality as well as reliable services. The organization should encourage work ethics that ensure reliable and quality services to the customer. Therefore, adopting ethical and responsible practice that takes into account the customers’ perspective is critical to the success of the company.
Work Ethics and employees
Companies that recognize the need of work ethics are doing extra to provide meaningful training to their employees and help their employees develop and realize their potential resulting from principled practices. Such businesses make every effort to reward their employees with fair remuneration based on conducts as well as providing favorable work environment that enhances moral values. In addition, such companies cultivate respect and ethical culture in their work environment. In fact, responsible management and HR policies often includes empowerment of employees on work ethics, better dissemination of information regarding observance of work ethics throughout the company, increased balance between the organizational values and the external environmental regulations on work ethics (Robbins, 2001). Moreover, responsible management and human resources ethical management policies should enhance greater diversity in the workforce, incessant skills development and training. Moreover, ethical values should be concerned with the employability as well as job security for all employees.
An ethical behavior that enhances profit sharing as well as share ownership increases the employee’s motivation and productivity and decreases turnover (Geren, 2011). In other words, the policies of the company emphasizing on work ethics should be perceived as beneficial to the employees. There is increasing evidence indicating that practices offering higher quality of life and more meaningful work impact directly on the firm’s profits through enhanced productivity. Work ethics should be understood as practices that enhances the productivity, increases the quality of life and have direct influences on the workers’ efforts. In addition, work ethics should enhance greater innovation among employees, higher reliability and quality as well as more skillful and commitment at all levels (Jones, 2009).
Work ethics and investors as well as other stakeholders
Work ethics should provide employees with qualities that help in developing good relations with shareholders and add more value to the firm. Therefore, ethical practices that enhance this relationship are critical for the continuity of the firm. Visionary companies have adopted work ethics as one of the core values in their business strategies. Further, successful companies must show beyond returns that they are ethical and apply moral responsibility in their business processes. Such companies show the need to invest for future growth and sustainability of their businesses through adopting good work ethics among its employees (Baehr & Nerad, 2003).
Moreover, putting work moral consideration on investment decisions results in sustainability of the company. Companies investing in work ethics and moral responsibilities as well as behaviors among workers have the capability of having long lifespan. Such firms also contribute into building more and just societies at the same time not compromising the returns on their investments (Robbins, 2001). In addition, considering work ethics as well as moral conducts in major business decisions is important for the continuity of the company.
Conclusion
Workers have no choice but to behave responsibly and ethically in order to enhance their performances and productivity. Moreover, organizations have to implement appropriate work ethics in order to enhance their performance, be financially stable and meet their objectives. Moreover, to remain relevant in the market place, firms must put in practice corporate standards and responsibilities that enhance the value of their products and services to satisfy the needs of the customers. The values that seem to enhance proper management of resources and operational performances are associated with good work ethics. In addition, organizations that foster such practices are being identified as ethically responsible corporation. Generally, investing in activities that are considered ethical and responsible behaviors among the workforce contribute into building just companies, which have increased trust among the stakeholder including customers. The trust and confidence built in the company increases the reputation contributing to both direct and indirect benefits including increased returns on investments.
Therefore, firms should adopt work practices that enhance ethical behaviors and responsible performances that increase their efficiency in the use of resources. The reason is that adopting the concepts of work ethics that enhances responsible use of resources increases both financial and procedural performances. Moreover, ethical behaviors and responsible practices among the workforce increase the reputation and consumers’ confidence in the products thus enabling the organization to realize greater revenues. In addition, moral attributes within the workforce also enable firms realize lower downstream and upstream costs. Other benefits associated with appropriate work ethics and responsible practices include reduced cost of debt and equity capital as well as lowering risks to the firm.
References
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