How ethics affect the workplace?

Introduction

In this essay, I will discuss how ethics affect the workplace and also identifying twenty acts of unethical behavior linked to the SAPI, Town and Regional Planning Department and CPUT Code of Ethics, Values, and Morals.

Values

Values are personal beliefs or something that comes from within. Values can be defined as acts, customs or preferences, and rejections which we find in different societies. Values are what really matter to us (family devotion and respect for the elders).

According to CPUT and the Department of Town and Regional, Planning ethics is about knowing the difference between right and wrong, maintaining good ethical standards and how we are supposed to act.

The university’s code of conduct is set out to ensure that staff and students act accordingly.

Morals

Morals are beliefs that one is taught for deciding good or bad, it involves considering the well-being of others and it does not consider personal preferences. Morals and values are similar; m orals are based on how we interact with one another in the workplace, having respect for others.

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Over time morals can change. In order to be a successful planner, one should learn how to adapt to change in the workplace. Students will refrain from any improper, disgraceful or indecent behavior where it could be recognized with CPUT (staff, 2019)

Ethics

Ethics can be justified as a systematic attempt to make sense of individual behavior., group, organization, professional, social, market and global moral experience in such a way as to determine the desirable, prioritized ends that are worth pursuing, the right rules and obligations that ought to govern human conduct, the virtuous intentions and character traits that deserve development in life and to act accordingly (Quinn, 1997).

The department/institution is for the student, they put the student first thus teaching us future planners to work for the people and not for personal gain (we should always put the community’s needs first over anything). Everyone has different views when it comes to ethics, one is either ethical or unethical it’s okay to be unethical it’s your own personal views and no one can judge you for that.

Deciding if you’re ethical or not can a bit difficult for example your brother was involved in a murder and the police were looking for him and you know where he is the right thing to do would be to report him but since he’s your brother you want to protect him. The question is do you value your ethics more are you willing to act unethically just because of your loved ones?

I would like to believe that I am an ethical person, because I’m always eager to help others and no matter how many times one does me wrong I will find it in my heart to try and forgive them but whenever they are in need of something I try my utmost best to help if its within my powers. Answering the above question I am not/ will not be willing to act unethically to save someone who is guilty.

Many of our decisions in the workplace involve ethics if we tell a lie; we can lose someone’s trust and undermine our own integrity. (Education, 2018)

Like any other company; organization; institution SAPI, SACPLAN, Department of Town and Regional Planning and CPUT has a code of conduct and employers, employees and students should abide by the rules, if anyone acts against it should face the consequences.

Unethical behavior

Unethical behavior involves acts that are illegally and morally inappropriate to a larger society, violations of company policies, or using hard-sell sales practices that may be legal, strictly speaking, but that take excessive advantage of human frailties.

Below are twenty unethical acts and how the link with the three spheres:

• Making decision for your own personal gain: Working on a project for personal, financial gain without the employers
• Bribes: Doing work for financial gain.
• Dishonesty: Taking credit for someone’s work.
• Discrimination : Talking ill and discriminating against coworkers and fellow classmates.
• Sexually harassment : Most employers or employees that are in high positions take advantage of colleagues that are in low position in the workplace, because they promise them things they cannot afford or positions that they cannot even comment or amend on.
• Theft: Stealing from the company, institution or organization.
• Unfair treatment : Treating staff/ students unfairly because of maybe personal preference, skin colour or gender.
• False information:  Misrepresent qualifications, views or findings of other professionals.
• Abuse of cell phone and internet: Using the organization’s phones/ internet for personal use.
• Sharing others personal information: Sharing confidential information of employer, client or student for personal gain.
• Inappropriate Relationship: Having relations that go against the organization, company or institution code of conduct.
• Unlawful/unauthorized work: Accepting work that is against company rules/wishes for personal gain.
• Inconsistency: Failure to keep up with work, submitting half done work.
• Cheating: Cheating on an exam/ test, using someone’s work as yours.
• Greediness: Accepting work that you won’t be able to complete.
• Underpayment: Over working staff and underpaying them. Paying staff less than the minimum rate per hour.
• Failure to report unethical behavior: Failure to report a person when they do something wrong.
• Misusing company property: Using company money or property for personal use.
• Inability to stick to time: Arriving at work late almost every day, taking long lunch breaks and leaving early.
• Failure to honor commitment: Inability to live up to job description, not doing the work given.

Conclusion

In conclusion ethics, morals and values work hand in hand to build ones character, they are the core foundation. They help stabilize companies, organisations and institutions with the rules and code of conduct. With regards to morals and values they are commanded in society, the people are instructed to know and understand them. If one misbehaves in a societal environment, it is referred to as a human indecency ,however in a workplace environment they should be enforced in order for the professional environment to operate effectively.

Reference

• Connie B Cooper, F. (2014). Ethics and Planners.
• Connie B Cooper, F. (2014). Ethics and Planning .
• Education, F. M. (2018). The Importance of Ethics in the Workplsce. Retrieved from
• Quinn, J. P. (1997). Managment Ethics. Integrity at Work , Thousand OAks CA: Sage, 55.
• staff, C. (2019, 02 04). moral behavior. (B. M. Swartbooi, Interviewer)