ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACE

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACEETHICS IN THE WORKPLACEINTRODUCTION

Work Ethics: A group of moral principles, standards of behavior, or set of values regarding proper conduct in the workplace

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACERelationships at Work

Management/owner toward client/customerManagement/owner toward employeesEmployee toward Employer, Co-workers, Customers

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACEBusiness Abuse Any : illegal unethical irresponsible Act done against an Employer

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACEResults of Business AbuseHigher prices Business FailureFewer JobsUnpleasant Working Conditions

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACEA. Examples of Business AbuseStealingMerchandiseMoney * Shoplift *Kickback * Conflict of Interest * Unauthorized DiscountsTime

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACEA. Examples of Business Abuse (Continued)VandalismFalsify RecordsBreak ConfidentialityIgnore Safety RulesMisrepresent Merchandise

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACEA. Examples of Business Abuse (Continued)Poor Client ServiceIrresponsible BehaviorAddictions * drugs * alcohol * tobacco

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACEA. Examples of Business Abuse (Continued)Gossip * Causes poor work environment (morale) * Lowers Productivity

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACE11 Harassment of Co-wks or Clients *Unwelcome sexual advances * Compliance as condition of employment * Interferes w/ wk performance through intimidation

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACEHow Do We Rationalize Business Abuse?Everybody does itThe co. overchargesIm not paid enoughThe co. doesnt deserve my loyalty

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACEC. How Employers Respond to Business AbuseIncrease Security * loss prevention mgmt. * surveillance * Networks/Helplines * threats of prosecution

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACEC. How Employers Respond to Business Abuse (Continued)Increase Employee Loyalty * fair wages & benefits * fair/consistent treatment * recognition for good wk

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACED. As Employees, What Are Our Choices? Ignore Business AbuseSpeak UpDiscuss to Clarify IssuesBlow the Whistle!

ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACEE. If Youre Unsure - Before You Act -- ASK:Is this legal?Is it against co. policy?Could the action cause loss or harm to anyone?If everyone I knew saw me, would I feel uncomfortable?

UK legalisation and initiatives

Everyone in the UK has the right to be treated fairly at work and to be free of discrimination on grounds of:age race gendertransgender statusdisabilitysexual orientationreligion or belief

16There are a number of laws that aim to make sure that men and women are treated equally:

17Equal Pay Act 1970; amended 1984

The Equal Pay Act 1970 makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate between men andwomen in terms of their pay and conditions where they are doing the same or similar work.

This covers most terms of employment including working hours, holiday, sick pay, performance related pay and pensions. 18Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and 1986 (SDA)

The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and Sex Discrimination Act 1986 make it unlawful for an employer to discriminate because of a persons gender. This relates to recruitment (to a new position or promotion with an existing employer), treatment at work and redundancy anddismissal.

19It also outlaws marriage discrimination where a person is treated less favourably on the grounds of marital status than a person of different marital status would be treated in similar circumstances.Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and 1986 (SDA)

The Sex Discrimination Act includes discrimination or less favourable treatment owing to pregnancy. The Act aims to protect against both direct and indirect discrimination.

21The Sex Discrimination Act also aims to protect against sexual harassment in the work place and was updated in 2005 to cover two types of sexual harassment:

unwanted conduct on the grounds of a persons sex andunwanted physical, verbal or non verbal conduct of a sexual nature

Employment Rights Act 1996

The Employment Rights Act 1996 was introduced to protect women during pregnancy and maternity leave and to ensure that they maintain the same employment rights and protection from discrimination.23Employment Act 2002

The Employment Act 2002 was introduced to help parents balance their working and family lives. It covers parents' rights to request flexible working. Parents of children under the age of sixteen have the right to apply to work flexibly and employers have a duty to consider these requests seriously. 24It also provides protection to pregnant employees and new or nursing mothers in the workplace as well as providing the right for carers of adults to request flexible working.

Gender Equality Duty 2007

The Gender Equality Duty applies to all public services, requiring them to promote gender equality and eliminate sex discrimination. It impacts on services such as childcare, transport, healthcare, etc. 26All organisations serving the public must show that they have assessed their own policies and procedures for compliance with gender discrimination legislation.

Equality Act 2010

Over the last four decades discrimination legislation has played an important role in helping to make Britain a more equal society. However, the legislation was complex and, despite the progress that has been made, inequality and discrimination persist and progress on some issues has been stubbornly slow. This has led to the introduction of the Equality Act.

28Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 is intended to provide a new cross-cutting legislative framework to:

protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for allto update, simplify and strengthen the previous legislation and to deliver a simple, modern and accessible framework of discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.

The Equality Act will replace all the previously mentioned Acts

29What has been the impact of equalities legislation in the UK over the past 40 years?

Since the Equal Pay Act 1970 and the Sex Discrimination Acts of 1975 and 1986 discrimination on the grounds of gender has decreased enormously and these Acts have been strengthened by subsequent Acts but unfortunately there are still significant gaps between men and women in terms of pay, seniority and representation in certain industries.

30Unequal Pay

In 1970, when the Equal Pay Act was set up in the UK, the pay gap between the hourly rate of pay of women and men working full time was 36%. 40 years later, the gap remains at 18%

31Unequal Pay

The Female FTSE report is produced annually by the Cranfield School of Management to detail the number of women directors in the top 100 FTSE companies. The 2009 report revealed a discouraging picture for women.

32Unequal Pay

Number of companies with female executive directors is down to 15 (from 16) A drop in the number of boards with multiple women directors to 37 (from 39)Decline in the overall number of companies with women on boards resulting in one in four companies having exclusively male boardsWomen executive and non-executive directors earn 22 per cent less than their male peers or around 600,000 over a lifetime

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