Making Codes of Ethics ‘Real’, Essay Example

Introduction

Firms require a sturdy and functional Code of Ethics that serves as a comprehensive guide to be used by the company’s Ethics committee, the auditing board as well as Ethics Compliance Department in enforcing ethical standards in the organization (Lachman, 2009).  It is therefore imperative that the developed Code of Ethics serves as an important tool in development, incorporation, sustenance as well as production of accountability in the workplace on condition that effective implementation of the Codes of ethics is achieved in all departments that exist in the organization (Lachman, 2009).  This facilitates development of sturdy and healthy relationships between the employer and the employees.

How the code will be connected to other important documents such as the mission/vision statement and other organizational policy statements

The integration and connection of Codes of Ethics to other important documents in the organization such as the mission/vision statement and other organizational policy statements further plays an important role in deepening the ethical relationships in the workplace (Lachman, 2009). Successful connection of Codes of Ethics to other important documents in the organization such as the mission/vision statement and other organizational policy statements will depend on the efficiency of addressing critical features within the organization during implementation of codes of ethics.. these include the following:

There are six main characteristics to implementing a Code of Ethics and they are:

• Introduction of Ethics Training Curriculum in the workplace
• Appointment of Ethics and compliance representative
• Creation of an effective Advisory Board whose mandate involves supervision along with oversight of particular power decisions.
• Creation of efficient instrument responsible for whistle blowing; all unethical behaviors must be reported in advance by a class of employees as well as external stakeholders for a timely action to be taken
• Implementation of ethical auditing role that work in-house that is obligated to execute supervisory as well as economic activities of auditing so that ethical behavior in the organization can be effectively quantified.
• Implementation as well as development of activities engrossing corporate reporting

A research-supported strategy for launching the code and communicating its implementation to all stakeholders

Launching a Codes of Ethics in the workplace and consequent communicating its implementation to all stakeholders is an important consideration to promote responsible course of action amongst employees in the organization. The relevant activities in this regard are intended to achieve a common translation across all stakeholders on the most desirable behaviors in consideration of wider generalized standard of inundated values. The strategy also entails activities that are anticipated to significantly abridge the suitability of the code of ethics such that the employees are stimulated to abide by the code of ethics that has been implemented in the organization. The strategy also addresses the relevant activities that aspire to achieve the discernment into potential barriers as well as risks that can potentially hamper accountable course of action among employees in the organization.

A research-supported strategy for enforcing the code

The most appropriate strategy that is responsible for introduction and enforcing the code of ethics  entails writing a succinct code that clearly elucidate the obligations of the employee. This elaborates the anticipated behavior of the employee as guided by the code of ethics in addressing critical dilemmas (Joyce & Rankin, 2010). The organization must also display a variety of case studies that focuses on possible ethical issues that employees are likely to encounter and the most suitable approach of addressing such issues. Homecare health services is also obligated to converse with their workers concerning possible sanctions that are likely to be applied in situations that they violate the code of ethics. The degree of sanctions is determined by the extent of violation and may be executed in form of criminal charges, legal or civil lawsuits, being discharged or a reprimand letter (Joyce & Rankin, 2010). It is also prudent to avail the code of ethics to as many places as possible within the organization to serve as a constant reminder of the moral obligation that employees are entitled to as they conduct their daily activities and the consequences of its violation. The ethics committee is obligated to hold regular meetings with the organization leaders at executive level and explain the resolutions particularly concerning members of staff with remarkable archetypal performance. The goals of the committee that are responsible for investigations of allegations of unethical behaviors should be solidified. The committee is obligated to craft a rule book containing some guidelines that forms the basis of assessing unethical behaviors that are perceived to be questionable among the employees in the organization. Appropriate steps to be taken against employees who have been accused of unethical behavior must be implemented.

A research-supported process for evaluating the code for effectiveness and making revisions to maintain applicability

A great deal of quarterly evaluation processes is required to be conducted at homecare health services in order to prop up effectiveness that is associated with a code of ethics (Lachman, 2009). The significance of this process is to ascertain that every single stakeholder in the organization including the workers, the executive staff members and the clients undergoes some form f training that will increase their effectiveness as they conduct the responsibilities that they owe to the organization devoid any form of misconstrued information. The quarterly training is equally beneficial to the ethics committee as they execute, revise as well maintain the applicability as well as processing the details that are less suited to the needs of the organization (Dean, 2012). Conducting a quarterly assessment will ultimately give organization management the most appropriate feedback from the members of staff and the entire employee fraternity who might be affected by the code of ethics in a situation that it is inappropriate. The efforts of establishment of ethical responsibility in employees’ education on accountability issues of at individual as well as a group level plays a crucial role in maintaining the applicability of a code of ethics. Conducting continuous reviews shall incorporate the relevant feedback that is beneficial to the ethical committee in the organization on the basis of suggestive “survey feedback” from staff members as well the employees in the organization. The involvement of stakeholders is an equally important contribution in maintaining the applicability of a code of ethics (Brauer, 2013). This involves conducting an evaluation of opinions, designing as well as auditing the effectiveness of the policies that affects the stakeholders.

A discussion that invokes current research and explains why your implementation plan will succeed when many others have failed

Designing the code of ethics for homecare health services was executed with a consideration of clear codes as well as behavior objectives. Homecare health services codes of ethics focuses on the objectives responsible for encouragement as well as discouraging behaviors (Dean, 2012). The codes of ethics was also designed along the as the missions and values of the organization to eradicate any possibility of conflict. Consequently, all participants can have an apparent understanding of organization expectations. The participants in this regard include the organization owners, their employees, the entire staff members, the ethics committee, the suppliers, the stakeholders as well as the clients. Ethics entails a system of ideologies that advocate for maintaining the highest degree of morality in a particular system (McDonald, 2007). A survey feedback has the needed potentials for improving the quality associated with the code which in turn improves its effectiveness in the provision of an apparent vision to all what is contained in the code of ethics (Dean, 2012). If the expectations anticipated from a code of ethics to be realistic, they must be in a position to offer behavioral guidance for a realistic milestone to be achieved in the organization.

Reference

Brauer, C. (2013). Just Sustainability? Sustainability and Social Justice in Professional Codes of Ethics for Engineers. Science & Engineering Ethics, 19(3), 875-891.

Dean, P. J. (2012). “Making Codes of Ethics ‘Real’.” Journal of Business Ethics, 11, 285-290.

Joyce, N. R., & Rankin, T. J. (2010). The Lessons of the Development of the First APA Ethics Code: Blending Science, Practice, and Politics. Ethics & Behavior, 20(6), 466-481.

Lachman, V. D. (2009). Practical Use of the Nursing Code of Ethics: Part II. MEDSURG Nursing, 18(3), 191-194.

McDonald, S. (2007). “The professionalization of victim services in Canada”. JustResearch 14:24?31.