Influence positive ethics in an organization

Workplace Discrimination: Ethical Issue, Dilemma, or Both

Workplace discrimination can be classified as an ethical issue, an ethical dilemma, or both, depending on the context and the actors involved.

As an Ethical Issue (Right vs. Wrong): Discrimination is fundamentally an ethical issue rooted in the principle of Justice and Fairness. It involves treating individuals differently based on protected characteristics (race, gender, religion, etc.) rather than on their qualifications or merit. This is a clear-cut violation of moral and legal standards and falls into the category of "Wrong" (e.g., a manager using a racial slur; a company refusing to hire women for a specific role). It violates the basic right of employees to be treated with respect and dignity.

As an Ethical Dilemma (Right vs. Right): Discrimination can create a dilemma for an employee or a manager who witnesses it. An ethical dilemma is a situation where two or more deeply held ethical values come into conflict (Right vs. Right).

Example of the Dilemma: A manager observes an influential executive making racially insensitive comments.

Value 1 (Speaking Truth/Justice): The obligation to report the unethical behavior and protect the targets of discrimination.

Value 2 (Loyalty/Self-Preservation): The obligation to the company, fear of retaliation, and concern for one's own career (especially if the executive is powerful).

Conclusion: Workplace discrimination is always an ethical issue because it is a violation of fundamental rights. It also often creates an ethical dilemma for those who are bystanders or enforcers of policy.

Sample Answer

HR Actions to Influence Positive Ethics

Here are two actions Human Resources (HR) can take to influence positive ethics, along with their rationale:

1. Integrate Ethical Performance into the Appraisal and Reward System

HR should make adherence to the organization's Code of Conduct and core values a mandatory, weighted component of every employee's performance review.

Rationale: Ethics must be treated as a performance competency, not just a policy document. As the Business Ethics video discusses, the greatest pressure on ethics often comes from a focus on unrealistic targets (short-term outcomes over long-term values). By linking promotions, bonuses, and salary increases directly to ethical behavior (e.g., integrity, fairness, transparency, and a willingness to speak up), HR signals that how results are achieved is as important as what results are achieved. This moves the culture from one of simple compliance (avoiding punishment) to one of active commitment (seeking reward for doing the right thing).

2. Implement and Mandate Values-Based Ethics Training for All Managers

HR must design and mandate annual ethics training that moves beyond legal compliance to focus on ethical decision-making frameworks and addressing ethical dilemmas.

Rationale: Managers are the day-to-day role models for the organization's culture. Training should use real-world case studies and role-playing (not just online modules) that force managers to resolve a conflict between two valid values (e.g., a manager must choose between hitting a critical deadline and cutting corners on safety, or providing a poor performance rating to a friend). This helps managers build the moral courage and analytical tools necessary to make principled decisions, which then models and reinforces positive ethical behavior throughout their teams.