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Slide 31.1
HR Ethical Dimensions
• First phase – a preoccupation with social justice
• Second phase – a preoccupation with
development of humane bureaucracy
• General interest in ethics
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.2
Defining Ethics
Dictionary singular definition – ‘The moral value of
human conduct and the principles that ought to
govern that conduct’
Dictionary plural definition – ‘A social, religious or
civil code of behaviour considered to be correct,
especially that of a particular group or
profession’
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.3
Ethics In Business Terms
• Part of a culture of an individual business
• Sets the behaviour by which staff abide
• Sets guidelines followed by staff as it makes
practical sense in enabling them to do their jobs
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.4
Early Management Concerns With Ethics
• Victorian philanthropists
• Andrew Carnegie – charity and stewardship
• Milton Friedman – criticism of social
responsibility
• 1980s return of interest
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.5
Incongruity of Business Ethics
• Business is about the pursuit of profits – won’t
businesses act immorally whenever necessary?
• Executive salaries being out of line – isn’t
dramatic inequality wrong?
• Is it wrong to subject workers in their mature
years to so much insecurity?
(Novak, 1996)
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.6
Need For Ethical Guidelines
People seek justification for their decisions and
actions
• Moral justification – value systems
• Ethical principles – voluntary agreement by
members
• Ethical standards – generated by businesses
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.7
Codes of Ethics
• By early 1990s one third of leading British
companies had a written ethical code
• How are they supported by people to whom
they apply?
• Necessary that all codes are understood,
appreciated, and willingly honoured
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.8
Criticisms of HRM Approach to Ethics
1. HRM is amoral and anti social – ignores the
pluralistic nature of work organisations
2. They have lost their claim to independent
professional standing
3. Is ecologically destructive
(Hart, 1993)
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.9
HR Interest in Ethics
•
Welfare concept
•
Deviant innovator
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.10
Job Enrichment & Humanising the
Workplace
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HR managers have not abandoned their interest in
welfare
Personnel managers shun traditional approach as it is
ineffectual
Concentration on surroundings in which work is
carried out
Giving more meaning to jobs
Need for hearts and minds not just hands and muscle
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.11
CIPD Code of Professional Conduct
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Accuracy
Confidentiality
Counselling
Developing others
Equal opportunities
Fair dealing
Self development
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.12
Ethics Across National Boundaries
•
Social responsibility international dimension
has still to be developed
•
Ethical standards vary
•
Games are played between governments and
multinational companies
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.13
Current & Developing Ethical Dilemmas
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Environment
Equalising opportunities
Quality of working life
Information technology
Employment
Self improvement
Personal element
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.14
Life in the Business
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Quality working life holds
Job redesign initiatives
Has the quality of working life declined?
Workplace stress
Lack of comfortable feelings of security
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.15
IT & the Workplace
•
What will be done to make up for what
technology will take from us?
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How great will the influence of the computer
on HRM work actually become?
•
Will technology provide a different social
institution?
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.16
Employment
•
How will people find employment
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Management of own careers
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Flexible employability
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How will job prospects in the economy be
improved?
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.17
Self Improvement
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Relating pay to performance
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Delayering
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Development of novel aspects of corporate
culture
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.18
On a Personal Note
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Ethical challenge – process of management is
seen to be carried out by people
MBWA – management by walking about
HR as ‘a contact sport’
HR managers need an ethical sense
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.19
Summary (1 of 2)
•
Ethics are part of the corporate culture that
sets the norms of behaviour staff will abide by
•
Ethical standards vary between national
cultures
•
Ethical codes are only valid if they are
appreciated & willingly implemented
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005
Slide 31.20
Summary (2 of 2)
•
Personnel managers and HRM practices are
regularly criticised for failure of social
responsibility
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CIPD has a code for its members
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There are a number of current and developing
ethical dilemmas
Torrington, Hall & Taylor, Human Resource Management 6e, © Pearson Education Limited 2005