All About Philosophy: Critical Assignment on Ethics, Essay Example

Dilemma #1

Women are an increasing important part of the modern workforce, yet despite this they still face discrimination at work and in the recruitment process.  Are there good reasons for screening women out at the recruitment stage?  Arguments have been based upon suitability for the post i.e. Prison Wardens and Combat Soldiers bot being considered suitable; yet with equality at work Women are working across all spectrums of society.

As the Human Resources Manager you have a duty to ensure equitable and honest recruitment practices and this sometimes means making the hard decisions. Failure to do so would be both irresponsible and unprofessional and you would not gain the respect of your peers. In this case you would need to brief the President in a polite and constructive manner. Avoid direct confrontation but rather present the facts and try to resolve any objections. For example: the top three applicants are female candidates – this states a lot about the aptitude, determination and skills of these candidates.  We should not discriminate on grounds of gender and it has been observed that the President has a tendency not to appoint female candidates.  Potentially this might deemed to be illegal and as such a disputed case involving legal action might damage the image and reputation of the Company.  There is a need to recognize the changing dynamics of females in the workplace and the significant contribution being made “More women are starting businesses than men, more women are in the workforce than men, and the majority of degree-holders are now women” (Wolfe, 2010).

There is the argument that states women are not suitable for all types of jobs e.g. Prison Wardens, front line combat soldiers, steeplejacks etc.  This being where gender places them at a distinct disadvantage or in harm’s way.  This argument however is rapidly diluting with 20% of women holding positions in the armed forces and senior positions in areas of risk.  Women tend to be successful in combining careers with the raising of a family and the husbands taking a more proactive role in raising children and supporting their wives career objectives.

Considering the options it is important that the female applicants are provided with an equitable chance of obtaining the position. Gender issues should not stand in the way and the President needs to be aware of this and his responsibility to the Company in terms of doing the right things and protecting the firms image as an honest and equitable employer. “A good reputation is a key part of a company’s commercial success. In a recession, the risk of unethical and potentially illegal conduct increases.” (Eversheds, 2010)

Dilemma #2

Listening to rumours or overhearing conversations can lead to both misinterpretation and taking an incorrect course of action.  How would you deal with a situation that might leave you compromised between your employer and a friend?  What is the most ethical course of behaviour under such circumstances?

In consideration of the options:

1. Tell the friend about the conversation? – This might seem like the right thing to do but it has a number of flaws. First you would be viewed as disloyal to the company and a potential troublemaker; second you may have not heard all of the facts and therefore misinterpreted the conversation; third this is none of your business and does not require your intervention.  There is a danger here that you could cause more damage than good. So not a recommended course of action.
2. Should you remain silent? – This has certain advantages as you may not be sure of all the facts or precisely what you heard. It is certainly a viable option. It has two issues (i) You may be considered as betraying your friend in not helping her to make the right decision, given your knowledge of her relationship and her bosses feelings.  A good friend should intervene (ii) You have a duty to your Company and as such you are not asked to intervene here. Nevertheless this leaves you with a crisis of conscience.
3. Go to your boss and confront him – The first issue here is explaining how you accidentally overheard the conversation; the concept of prying or being nosy to a private conversation. You place yourself under scrutiny.  Success here will depend upon your relationship with your boss. If you have a good open and honest relationship then you can discuss these matters. If not it might be more prudent to remain aloof.
4. Advice to your friend – This might be tackled differently i.e. you do not mention the conversation that you heard but concentrate on what a fantastic opportunity the new job is and how she might be foolish to turn down such a good offer that provides better career advancement opportunities. In this way you are offering impartial advice to your friend and remain out of the politics in the firm

In conclusion, I would move more towards a hybrid solution of items 2 and 4.  That is to say I would remain silent about the overheard conversation based upon not having all or accurate information and I would be supportive of the friend taking the new job opportunity emphasising what a great opportunity for advancement it would seem “Work ethics involve such characteristics as honesty and accountability” (All about philosophy, 2010).

Works Cited

All about philosophy. (2010). What are work ethics. Retrieved 11 4, 2010, from All about philosophy: http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/what-are-work-ethics-faq.htm

Eversheds. (2010). Ethics@work. Retrieved 11 4, 2010, from Eversheds: http://www.eversheds.com/uk/home/training/at_your_desk_training/ethics-at-work.page

Wolfe, L. (2010). Gender Discrimination Against Women: From Cradle to CEO. Retrieved 11 4, 2010, from about.com: http://womeninbusiness.about.com/od/challengeswomenface/a/genderdiscrim.htm