A Simple Tool for Ethical Decision Making in the Workplace

A friend of mine, Paul Falcone, who is well known in the HR field, posted an article on LinkedIn. I greatly appreciate his letting me use it for today's blog. It has a lot of great advice.

HR Managers and Business Leaders Need a Tool to Help Employees Initiate Discussions About Questionable Ethical Situations that Come Up at Work

Managerial ethics in employee relations is a challenging topic to teach and master because of its complex nature. I’ve taught that course on ethics at UCLA Extension’s School of Business and Management for years, but there was never really a book on the topic that addressed its practical application in the workplace. In 2022, I had the opportunity to finally publish a book in that space title, Workplace Ethics: Mastering Ethical Leadership and Sustaining a Moral Workplace, part of the five-book Paul Falcone Workplace Leadership Series published by HarperCollins Leadership and the American Management Association.

Think of workplace ethics as the glue that holds all the bricks together in your office building. It's about the spirit of the law--much more than just the letter of the law. It's about doing the right thing when no one is looking. Here are some snippets of wisdom that you might find helpful from a practical standpoint with direct application to your workplace and that you can share with your team(s) for important insights about personal branding and the culture you wish to create and sustain.

What is Workplace Ethics All About?

Questions often arise when less-than-ideal circumstances that may not be unlawful nevertheless conflict with a manager’s or employee’s sense of self. Ethical crises are real, and HR practitioners will likely face many situations over the course of their careers where frontline operational managers and staff employees implore their help. How do you advise them? How can you help them see through the moral or ethical challenges that come their way? And how can you help yourself by using these very same principles and guideposts to navigate your own career as an HR manager, operational business leader, and advisor?

Workplace ethics takes on many forms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, we saw issues arise that we never had to face before as a society, including masking, social distancing, vaccinations, notifying employees of potential workplace exposures, and the like. On a more practical basis, we face similar questions involving:

• Fairness, consistency, and equality of opportunity
• Executive compensation, fair pay, and female/minority board representation
• The use of company property (equipment), remote work, and the return-to-the-office quagmire that we currently find ourselves in
• Accountability and the potential for whistleblower claims
• The ethical use of AI algorithms in candidate selection, internal promotions, and the potential for disparate treatment or adverse impact claims
• Privacy and confidentiality; trade secrets and insider trading
• Corporate social responsibility, environmentalism, and sustainability

 And the list goes on. . . The questions and considerations can be complex, and companies often establish codes of ethics and/or conduct policies to address them, aiming to foster a culture of integrity and responsibility. Along those lines, a simple discussion tool can be developed to foster conversations at staff meetings and in one-on-one situations to strengthen the muscle of ethical leadership.

A Simple Tool for Ethical Decision Making

Personal reflection and career introspection are never needed more than when facing moral dilemmas. HR practitioners and business leaders might use a simple one-sheet tool like this for helping their client managers and employees through ethical challenges that come their way:

Ethical Decision-Making Guidance Tool

1. Identity

Is this who I am or risk becoming? How does my decision square with my beliefs about compassion, respect, fairness, and truth? Who am I relative to this obstacle that I’m facing, and who do I choose to be?

2. Conscience

Can I live with my conscience if I remain with this employer under these circumstances? Will I regret leaving the organization or overreacting to these less-than-ideal circumstances? What does my decision either way say about my character, loyalty, and the trust that others place in me?

3. Principle

Is there a core principle involved here that should never be compromised under any circumstances in order for me to remain true to myself? What if I compromise this principle: will I sacrifice any of my essential beliefs? Is this simply a matter of my learning not to do this to others?

4. Rationalization

How do I justify this to myself? Do the rules not apply to me? Will anybody notice? Do I deserve better than this? Am I simply going along to get along? Are such rationalizations undermining my character or a core aspect of my identity?

5. Common Sense

Is this consistent with how I want others to see me? Does any short-term gain justify the potential longer-term consequences? Is this consistent with the narrative I have of myself? Would someone refer to this situation if they had to provide a reference about my character?

6. Consequences

What are the consequences involved if this is discovered? How can it potentially damage my career or reputation? How can I explain this to a prospective employer if I stay or leave? Does this violate my basic sense of morality?

Reasoning about moral questions can be profoundly complex, especially when others may be significantly impacted. Yet using a consistent framework helps HR practitioners and operational leaders feel more confident that they are helping their internal clients and stakeholders to think through the various implications affecting their decision objectively. Specifically, you might want to suggest that, after your initial discussion, the person writes down their answers to these six considerations and then sleeps on them and has a fresh look in the morning. There are no absolute right or wrong answers when considering such moral imperatives. In addition to the tool, encourage your manager-clients and staff employees to consult with their trusted partners, advisors, and mentors to gain additional perspective on the matter, if possible.

The Ultimate Decisionmaker

When in doubt, however, there’s a simple reliable solution that always serves us well and shows us the way. Encourage your clients to go with their gut. Your closing guidance to the manager might sound like this:

“Your conscience—that internal compass and guidance system that you were born with—will never let you down. You may likewise refer to it as your spirit, your intuition, or your “Spidey sense” (popular among Spiderman fans). Whatever you call it, I encourage you to trust and rely on it. Analyze objectively first using a tool like the one I just shared with you: diagnostics are important. Sleep on this; speak with your trusted advisors.

"But when push comes to shove, your answer won’t come from your brain or from anyone or anything outside you: it will come from your heart. Emotion trumps cognition in matters relating to morals and ethics. Your heart, more than anything, will help you address and avert crises at work, at home, and anywhere in between. Your heart will allow you to summon your character. In short, let your conscience by your guide and call the shots when facing major life or career dilemmas.”

 It’s important that HR managers and business leaders are able to validate employees’ feelings objectively and without judgment and find a disciplined way of evaluating “slippery slope” situations that may make or break their committed relationship to the organization. As much as you want to help and may even fear losing that manager or employee, this is their career and their decision. You should guide them as objectively as you can but must respect whatever decision they make.

Adding this ethics tool to your leadership toolbox should help. The six simple decision points make it easier for others to think out loud and make the best decisions for themselves, their careers, and your organization. Putting others’ needs ahead of your own is the ultimate gift in selfless leadership. It likely remains consistent with your organization’s culture and principles. Don’t be afraid to address even the most uncomfortable situations. Apply this tool as a starting point to launch into difficult and significant discussions that will surely come your way from time to time and when your wisdom and guidance are needed most.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/simple-tool-ethical-decision-making-workplace-paul-falcone-vhuzc/

Posted by Steven Mintz, aka Ethics Sage, on November 20, 2024. Visit Steve's website and sign up for his newsletter at: https://www.stevenmintzethics.com/.