Ethical Theories
Ethical Theories
According to Macdonald & Marcoux (2021), ethical theories try to give a transparent, singular account of what our ethical responsibilities are. I feel that when writing and developing a workplace policy, policymakers are obligated to take into consideration these theories and apply them in attempts to clarify what is right or wrong. Five common ethical theories that come up include:
Utilitarianism - the correct action to take is whatever will do the most good for all involved
Kantianism - specific universal rules exist that must be followed
Social Contract Theory - in determining which rules to follow, it's ideal to picture what rules rational people would agree to follow in a perfect decision-making situation
Virtue Theory - ask ourselves "What kind of people or groups do we want to be?"
Feminist Ethics - intricate set of interconnected viewpoints emphasizing interpersonal issues "such as caring, independence, and the ethical requirements of particular relationships." (Macdonald & Marcoux, 2021).
In applying ethical theories to a policy, allow me to put it in a simple context. If there is a policy on addressing ineffective time management practices, here is a quick breakdown as to how ethical theories can apply to this policy:
Utilitarianism - when employees manage their time effectively, it will do the most good for all involved and will produce the best outcomes. An interest in everybody is there. For instance, one might think "I should get this done in a timely fashion so that it doesn't negatively affect others on my team."
Kantianism - managing one's time effectively is universal. If things are late, there are consequences. Your poor decisions affect others, even though you have the right to make said decisions.
Social Contract Theory - dovetails off from Kantianism. We need to respect other people's rights to make decisions, but there are rules that need to be followed the lead to the ideal and collective decision-making (for instance, having universally agreed-upon rules regarding effective time management practices.)
Not all ethical theories will apply to each issue a policymaker is trying to address. It's up to the policymaker to take these ethics into consideration during the development phases of their policy.