Right v.

Right:
HR Ethics

HR Ethics

No well-established mandatory professional standards

Ethics and business knowledge as important as HR domain expertise Each situation requires a judgment call

Analyzing HR Dilemmas

Right v. Wrong No one will know if I do not pay taxes on this under-the-table income, so I can save myself quite a bit of money. Right v. Right Selecting the best option

Types of Right v. Right Dilemmas

Truth v. Loyalty Individual v. Community Short-Term v. Long-Term Justice v. Mercy

Examples of Right v. Right Dilemmas

Its right to tell the truth, but it is also right to be kind and considerate of peoples feelings and emotions. Its right to apply rules and procedures equally, without favoritism, but it is also right to give special treatment to hardworking, dependable, and productive employees.

Examples of Right v. Right Dilemmas (contd)

Its right to spend more time adding more quality to your work but it is also right to meet deadlines and avoid diminishing returns on your efforts. Its right to be concerned about shortterm results, but it is also right to focus on long-term growth and stability.

Common Ethical Dilemmas Faced by HR Professionals (contd)

Showing respect for copyrights, sources, and intellectual property Ensuring truth in claims, data, and recommendations Balancing organizational and individual needs and interests Showing respect for, interest in, and representation of individual and population differences

Ethics Advice for HR Professionals

Know what you believe. Clearly think through what is legally and morally right and wrong. Understand why you believe what you believe. Develop your ability to influence. Be prepared to offer creative solutions to difficult situations.

The Ethical Action Test

Is it legal? Does it comply with our rules and guidelines? Is it in sync with our organizational values? Will I be comfortable and guilt-free if I do it?

The Ethical Action Test (contd)

Does it match our stated commitments and guarantees? Would I do it to my family and friends? Would I be perfectly okay with someone doing it to me? Would the most ethical person I know do it?

Case Study

You do in the game like you do in practice. Small table discussions about the case study to identify and suggest resolutions for Right v. Right dilemmas Large group discussion

Case Study (contd)

The HR Manager of the company was recently notified by the Training Director that employees have been experiencing a rash of theft of personal articles from the companys training room over the past several months. Based on feedback the HR Manager and Training Director have received, there is an employee of the organization who is suspected of the thefts.

Case Study (contd)

The organizations security department has suggested two possible courses of action to catch the guilty party.
1. Place a video camera in the training room so the agency can videotape the guilty party and therefore catch him or her in the act; or

Case Study (contd)

2. Set a trap for the guilty person. Leave what appears to be a birthday card with money for another employee on one of the training room tables. The security department wants to coat the card envelope and the money with a special dust that becomes visible under a screening device that will be used on each of the agencys departing employees the day the envelope disappears. The person, whose hands show the dust, would then be searched for the money, which had also been coated with this dust.

Case Study (Contd)

What should the HR Manager and the Training Director do? What are the legal implications for each possible course of action? What are the actions an agency should/could take when an employee is suspected of theft?