Business Research Ethics In Supervising Paper
Business Research Ethics in Supervising
Elishia Brown
RES/351
December 01, 2014
Dr. Annette West
Business Research Ethics in Supervising
Introduction
The article I chose takes into account a scandal in the workplace. A married member of upper management has been caught conducting an improper relationship with an hourly employee. Everything is out in the open. Rumors are rampant; jobs are on the line, and ethics, in general, have been called into question by everyone. Why should this personal affair have such an enormous impact on day to day business, and as a supervisor, how do we handle the aftermath?
Scandal
The affair itself is not a problem, however. The problem is what the issue represents. The workplace become saturated …show more content…
with distrust and anxiety. Honesty, fairness, and integrity all come into question, not just by the employees, but by customers, too. All of the management have come under fire, and the supervisor stands in the middle. I have a co-worker, also a supervisor, who always reminds me that we are the crème filling between the two cookies. Upper management may be able to steal away from the public employee eye and still conduct business as if nothing has happened; as supervisors, we catch it from both sides. We take on problems of the employees who have questions that need answering, while at the same time, being told to keep quiet by upper management.
What Happens Next?
An event such as this has no room in the workplace, but it does happen.
When it does, there are certain things that should and should not be done. First, we need to address the concerns of the employees about honesty, integrity, and fairness. Re-assure them that the proper steps will be taken to investigate the matter thoroughly. Daily, I can attest to hearing some tidbit of information about this person or that, whereby some illicit happenings is going on. I have heard of issues involving a high ranking member of management, and the matter turned out to be no more than chatter among the break room busy bodies. Recall the company’s mission statement, formal ethics policy, or code of conduct (Ruiz-Palomino & Martinez-Canas, 2011). Help them to understand that this was a case of poor judgment and that it has no bearing on the sound judgment of others on the management team. “Moral ideology is expected to be an important individual difference, in the face of ethical dilemmas” (Ruiz-Palomino & Martinez-Canas, …show more content…
2011).
Second, getting everyone back on track should be the focus.
The behavior of those involved in such a scandal should not be addressed, rather emphasize the fact that company business comes first. Remind everyone of their responsibility to ensure customer satisfaction, which requires their full attention and participation. Drawing conclusions or verbalizing opinions have no bearing on the work at hand and should be dealt with as would any other disruption of the workplace.
Credibility has to be re-established. Therefore, employees and customers must be reminded that one individual’s behavior does not supersede the values of the company. Make sure that as a supervisor that no reproach is brought about. The behavior of the supervisor is seen as the intended norm of the group and trickles down through the lower levels (Ruiz-Palomino & Martinez-Canas, 2011).
Conclusion
Lead by example. Weigh your words carefully when addressing those who may want to include you in the scandal with gossip and unjust speculation. Daily, I can attest to hearing some tidbit of information about this person or that, whereby some illicit happenings is going on. I have heard of issues involving a high ranking member of management, and the matter turned out to be no more than chatter among the break room busy bodies. Don’t judge hastily, doing so can result in legal ramifications such lawsuits for defamation of character, libel, and slander.
Damage control depends on how well the management team responds to the needs of the employees. Do not defend the transgressors (Kay, 1999). Discredit the actions and not the people. Adjust to the change, anchor your employees, and maintain visibility.
References
Kay, S. (1999, March). Supervising Through Scandal. SuperVision, 60(3), 16.
Ruiz-Palomino, P., & Martinez-Canas, R. (2011). Supervisor Role Modeling. Journal of Business Ethics(102), 653-668. doi:10.1007/s10551-011-0837-6
Elishia Brown
RES/351
December 01, 2014
Dr. Annette West
Business Research Ethics in Supervising
Introduction
The article I chose takes into account a scandal in the workplace. A married member of upper management has been caught conducting an improper relationship with an hourly employee. Everything is out in the open. Rumors are rampant; jobs are on the line, and ethics, in general, have been called into question by everyone. Why should this personal affair have such an enormous impact on day to day business, and as a supervisor, how do we handle the aftermath?
Scandal
The affair itself is not a problem, however. The problem is what the issue represents. The workplace become saturated …show more content…
with distrust and anxiety. Honesty, fairness, and integrity all come into question, not just by the employees, but by customers, too. All of the management have come under fire, and the supervisor stands in the middle. I have a co-worker, also a supervisor, who always reminds me that we are the crème filling between the two cookies. Upper management may be able to steal away from the public employee eye and still conduct business as if nothing has happened; as supervisors, we catch it from both sides. We take on problems of the employees who have questions that need answering, while at the same time, being told to keep quiet by upper management.
What Happens Next?
An event such as this has no room in the workplace, but it does happen.
When it does, there are certain things that should and should not be done. First, we need to address the concerns of the employees about honesty, integrity, and fairness. Re-assure them that the proper steps will be taken to investigate the matter thoroughly. Daily, I can attest to hearing some tidbit of information about this person or that, whereby some illicit happenings is going on. I have heard of issues involving a high ranking member of management, and the matter turned out to be no more than chatter among the break room busy bodies. Recall the company’s mission statement, formal ethics policy, or code of conduct (Ruiz-Palomino & Martinez-Canas, 2011). Help them to understand that this was a case of poor judgment and that it has no bearing on the sound judgment of others on the management team. “Moral ideology is expected to be an important individual difference, in the face of ethical dilemmas” (Ruiz-Palomino & Martinez-Canas, …show more content…
2011).
Second, getting everyone back on track should be the focus.
The behavior of those involved in such a scandal should not be addressed, rather emphasize the fact that company business comes first. Remind everyone of their responsibility to ensure customer satisfaction, which requires their full attention and participation. Drawing conclusions or verbalizing opinions have no bearing on the work at hand and should be dealt with as would any other disruption of the workplace.
Credibility has to be re-established. Therefore, employees and customers must be reminded that one individual’s behavior does not supersede the values of the company. Make sure that as a supervisor that no reproach is brought about. The behavior of the supervisor is seen as the intended norm of the group and trickles down through the lower levels (Ruiz-Palomino & Martinez-Canas, 2011).
Conclusion
Lead by example. Weigh your words carefully when addressing those who may want to include you in the scandal with gossip and unjust speculation. Daily, I can attest to hearing some tidbit of information about this person or that, whereby some illicit happenings is going on. I have heard of issues involving a high ranking member of management, and the matter turned out to be no more than chatter among the break room busy bodies. Don’t judge hastily, doing so can result in legal ramifications such lawsuits for defamation of character, libel, and slander.
Damage control depends on how well the management team responds to the needs of the employees. Do not defend the transgressors (Kay, 1999). Discredit the actions and not the people. Adjust to the change, anchor your employees, and maintain visibility.
References
Kay, S. (1999, March). Supervising Through Scandal. SuperVision, 60(3), 16.
Ruiz-Palomino, P., & Martinez-Canas, R. (2011). Supervisor Role Modeling. Journal of Business Ethics(102), 653-668. doi:10.1007/s10551-011-0837-6