Ethics is not just a topic for government agencies and organizations or for lawyers and doctors. Instead, it is a topic that applies to all forms of work and organizations, from businesses to nonprofits to teachers. It is a topic that well deserves the attention and time it requires to ensure all within the organization are aligned with and abide by the rules and regulations. This is why an ethics plan is an important component to have for any organization. It is a plan that clearly outlines what is expected of those working for the organization and what type of actions will and will not be tolerated. One would assume we could rely on a person's inner morals of right and wrong, but we cannot, as each person may look at a situation differently and come to a different conclusion as to which actions are ethically acceptable and which are not. This inability to have a cohesive look at a situation, as well as not taking other perspectives into account, could adversely affect the organization, which is why a set, formalized plan is best to ensure that all working in the organization are aware of how they are to act and which actions they should take, based on the situation (Svara 2015).
The purpose of an ethical plan is to lay out what the organization expects, not only of the employees within their organization but also how their organization deals with ethical issues and how the organization wants to be perceived by the public (Svara 2015). One may think that as long as an organization has a code of ethics it promotes and follows, that would be enough. However, just because an organization has a written Code of Ethics does not mean it is being implemented or that it is being reinforced consistently. An ethical plan ensures that the code of ethics is not merely read once and then quickly forgotten. Instead, it becomes an important element in the organization. This is why the plan lays out a concise focus and scope of what is expected. It covers the responsibilities required of those within it, and it provides clarity in which actions can be taken by those working within. It can also include different statements and obligations and other values. In the following paragraphs, I will provide an organizational plan for encouraging ethics that will include personal strategies as well as organizational and managerial strategies that showcase the best ways to ensure ethics are being considered and implemented, no matter the scale.
As an organization, it is beneficial to have those working within create their own personal code of ethics. This process allows them to evaluate and consider what is most important to them and how those values and standards relate to the organization. The idea that the values and standards are supported by the employees is one Svara advocates (Svara 2015). He defines this phenomenon as having a predisposition to behave consistently with our own espoused values and principles and to reflect those in the actions we take. By doing this, those within the organization would not only be taking a deep look at themselves, but it also aids the organization in ensuring that the people being hired are the correct fit for the organization. That is, if one’s personal values align with the organization, they are more likely to buy into the organization's mission and will be more personally involved in its acccomplishments than one who is not (Kinicki).
Having your current employees create their own code of ethics, as I’ve previously mentioned, is essential. Codes of ethics are not merely to tell others what the rules and expectations are. They are also useful in helping one figure out one's own core values. As well, they can also help reveal what Svara (Svara 2015) calls “blind spots,” in which we fail to see ethical shortcomings, do not calculate costs and benefits, and do not see ethical decisions at stake. Within these codes is where the professional organizational codes develop.
Once the personal code of ethics has been established, it is much easier to figure out and implement a professional code of ethics. The reason for this is that once you have thought of and formed a personal code of ethics, then you can build a professional code of ethics for your organization. According to Svara (Svara 61-63), the virtuous approach says being ethical and making ethical decisions is intuitive. Meaning one should just know what is right and wrong. Due to this, the best way is to first create a professional code of ethics and then form a plan to encourage them to follow the six elements outlined by the Research Ethics Review Committee 2008. Those elements include a code of conduct, a way to report observed violations anonymously, a way to seek advice on ethical matters, training for codes of conduct and ethics policies, a way to discipline those who violate the code, and a way to evaluate ethical behaviors. I will be discussing these elements more later on. These elements can and should be used to guide the organization when working on creating and implementing a professional code of ethics.
Organizational and managerial strategies need to be focused, have specific coverage and breadth, and provide adequate clarity on what is expected by the organization and how the organization expects those working within it to deal with different issues and situations. Therefore, an organization needs to have what is called a professional code of ethics. The best way for this professional code of ethics to be conveyed and received by those working within the organization is to intertwine it with the organizational culture. This culture sets the professional standards expected within the organization and reinforces all the rules and regulations (Kinicki). As Svara (2015) said, an ethics code should “convey the values, standards, and behaviors that contribute to advancing the public interest, achieving their [the organization] goals, and being true to their calling” (87). Although many organizations will have similar codes of ethics due to national codes set by professional associations such as the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) or the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), it is still important for each organization to incorporate their own values and goals within their code, as what they are trying to achieve may not fully match the national standards, or the climate they are trying to build within the organization is different. The reason each ethics code is different from organization to organization is because they are written and created to cater to the specific organization. Although there are these differences, each code does follow some of the same guidelines.
According to Svara (2015), in order to have a full and complete code of ethics, there are four elements that must be present, starting with don’t statements, which would cover what type of activities and behaviors are prohibited within the organization. This would also be a good section to include possible scenarios one may encounter and outline the different steps and actions one could take and explain which actions should and should not be taken and why. For instance, in the Code of Ethics for Government Service contained in Appendix 2, Svara 2015 (p.203), number five states “Never discriminate unfairly by the dispensing of special favors or privileges to anyone, whether for remuneration or not; and never accept, for himself or his family, favors or benefits under circumstances which might be constructed by reasonable persons as influencing the performance of his governmental duties”. Therefore, don’t statements are important in ensuring that all within the organization know the rules and understand what they are and are not allowed to do in their position. Following this, the code of ethics should have the obligations and responsibilities one within the organization must or should do; essentially, what responsibilities are required of them in their position. This section is based on the duty principle. An example from the ICMA code of ethics would be “Resist any encroachment on professional responsibilities, believing the member should be free to carry out official policies without interference, and handle each problem without discrimination on the basis of principle and justice” (as cited in Svara 89). Thirdly, the code of ethics should include the virtues, personal qualities, and values the organization holds the highest. They need to be thoroughly explained to ensure all within the organization understand what is most important to the organization and decrease any misunderstandings. Lastly, the code of ethics should include the aspirations of the organization. These can be general but should include the steps needed to achieve them. Not only do these professional code of ethics lay out what is expected of those who work within the organization, but they also set the standard for how the public perceives them. Therefore, implementing the code and encouraging it are instrumental.
In addition to the four elements I outlined above, there are also six elements outlined by the Research Ethics Review Committee 2008 (ERC) that lay out other necessary requirements for professional codes of ethics. Those six elements include: code of conduct, way to report observed violations anonymously, mechanism for employees to seek advice on ethical matters, training for all employees on code of conduct and ethics policies, mechanism to discipline employees who violate the code or policies, and evaluation of ethical behavior as part of regular performance appraisals (Svara 167). I have already discussed some of these points, and I will be discussing ethical training below. I will discuss the other points more in-depth here. In terms of a way for employees within an organization to report observed violations anonymously, this could be as simple as an online forum that asks basic questions and allows an employee to fill it out without having to say who they are. For a mechanism for employees to seek advice on ethical matters and for how to discipline employees who violate the code or policies, that can be set up either through the HR portion of the organization or there can be a specific ‘ethical’ person who works within the organization whose duty it is to provide ethical information and advice to those working within the organization and whose responsibility it would be to discipline those who violate it (Kinicki). This ‘ethical’ person/position could also be responsible for forming an evaluation for all the employees within the organization. During the monthly or yearly appraisals, that person could sit in on the discussion to share their thoughts on how the person has done in terms of ethical decisions and problem-solving. Or the ethical evaluation could be separate.
A way to implement an organization's professional code of ethics and to ensure that everyone within the organization has a solid understanding of ethics, ethics training is a must. This can be done through ethics training programs, from which there are many to choose from, or the organization can create their own. It is up to their discretion. It is important to choose the one that accurately and efficiently covers the values of the organization A basic ethics training program does coves the key elements of ethics and what types of professional and workplace behaviors are expected and allowed and which are not. According to the ERC, the best way to determine what type of ethical training to use is to conduct an ethical climate survey. The survey’s purpose would be to determine what staff members think about the organizational practices and standards of the organization as well as the personal qualities that make up themselves and those they work with. These qualities could include the organization's commitment to ethics or the level of trust, fairness, and responsiveness within the organization (Svara 170). The purpose of the training and the main takeaway the organization would want to achieve would be to build and enhance the employees abilities to identify and recognize ethical behavior and to be able to promote ethical decisions in the workplace. As well, according to the Institute of Ethics (2020), the purpose of ethics training is “to enable employees to identify and deal with ethical problems developing their moral institutions, which are implicit in every day choices and actions…with this ethics training also aims to enable all organizational members to understand, share and apply the values stated in the code of ethics”. Ethics training not only ensures that all people working in an organization have the same understanding of ethics, it also ensures that they are complying with the code of ethics that the organization has implemented. Ethics training can be done via an online platform, usually by using a virtual program at the beginning of an individual's employment at an organization. However, as I stated before, each organization can cater its ethics training to fit how they want to do it, and if in-person training is preferred, a training program can be created to fit this need. To ensure that the ideas learned are retained, it is beneficial to include additional training throughout the year and or over a person's time at the organization. Some ideas listed by the Institute of Ethics include: awareness raising seminars, dilemma analysis training, focus groups on specific organizational issues/stakeholder relations, and group role play. It would also be beneficial to include a revisiting training in the event the organization has unethical behavior occur in order to reinforce the values and expectations that were laid out at the beginning of employment. These different strategies not only ensure constant use of the knowledge gained in the original ethics training but can also be tailored to tackle specific issues the organization may be seeing and foster more group involvement.
According to Svara 2015, having a combination of a strong ethical culture, comprehensive ethics, and a compliance program is the main way to have the most positive effects within an organization. In addition to this, it is also important for organizations to have and incentivize positive management practices. These practices can include giving staff a voice in making their decisions and setting objectives as well as using performance appraisals as opportunities for development and to reward or punish. Creating and having a work environment where employees feel they are able to voice their ideas or complaints and feel safe doing so is essential, as it is the only way to truly foster development within the organization. It also allows for the discussion of issues or problems before they snowball into major situations (Kinicki).
Works Cited
Compliance Training Group, Ethics Training Program. Accessed November 18, 2021. https://compliancetraininggroup.com/courses/ethics-in-the-workplace-training/
Institutes of Ethics. Ethics Training. Accessed November 18, 2021. https://www.dcu.ie/ethics/ethics-training
Kinicki, Angelo. Organizational Behavior (3rd Edition).
Svara, James. The Ethics Primer for Public Administrators in Government and Nonprofit Organizations. Burlington, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Learning, LLC., 2015.