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NAME: Shah Aafreen Mohammed Amin

DESIGNATION: Lecturer in commerce department.

INSTITUTE: KJ Somaiya College Of Arts & Commerce

“Application of ethics in the process of human resource development”

This paper will outline the ways in which the ethical norms could be followed in the various

areas of HRD. The main aim of this paper is to describe that not only the technical aspect of

job performance should be taken into consideration for HR development but also the human

aspect, i.e. the values of humanity, merely stating the rules, ethical norms, terms and

conditions etc is not enough for establishing a strong corporate governance but bringing

these values into practice by the personnels during their training and development process

will give the better results, this will not only help in building the trained and expertise

professionals but also the value educated professionals, the practice of ethical norms in the

HR training and development process along with technical and mechanical practices will go

hand in hand in establishing a strong corporate governance and hence it will also help in

fulfilling CSR, achieving sustainability, and developing a bright corporate image, this paper

also states the condition that how a company can fulfill its CSR by a fair performance

appraisal basically in the government organisation where the confidential reports are

prepared, fair career planning and development of employees and generating the fair

employment opportunities into the society, the paper focuses more on explaining the

applications and practices rather than assumptions and theories, as the HRD is itself a

practical field so how a trained and developed personnel would nurture the corporate culture

and play a leading role in establishing strong corporate governance, establishment of strong

corporate governance will provide a clear directions of and a strong control over activities of

corporate. Any system can be initiated but the establishment comes from practice.

Keywords: HRD, corporate governance, CSR, ethical norms, and sustainability.

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SR NO

CONTENT

PAGE NO

1)

INTRODUCTION

3-4

2)

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL IN GOVERNAMENT

ORGANISATION

4

3)

ETHICS IN PERFORMANCE AT GOVERNAMENT

AORGANISATION

5-6

4)

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF ETHICAL

PROFESSIONALS

6-7

5)

ETHICS AND VALUES OF HUMANITY AT WORK PLACE:

TECHNICAL AND HUMAN ASPECT

7-9

6)

ROLE OF TRAINED AND VALUE EDUCATED

PROFESSIONALS IN ESTABLISHING STRONG CORPORATE

GOVERNANCE

9-10

7)

ROLE OF ETHICAL PROFESSIONALS IN FULFILLEMENT

OF CSR

10-11

8)

ACHIEVEMENT OF LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY

AND CONCLUSION

11-12

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INTRODUCTION:

(This paper is purely based on author's knowledge and understanding, no reference either

review of literature is taken)

INTEGRATED HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT:

Integrated HRD means to achieve the HRD goals and objectives it follows the process and

these process can also be called as mechanism either subsystem of human resource

development it includes: Training, performance appraisal, feedback and performance

coaching, career planning and development, succession planning, and employee participation

in management.

USING PERFORMANCE APPARISAL FOR DEVELOPMENT AND THE

ROLE OF TRAINING IN HRD:

Performance appraisal is one of the important mechanism of human resource development to

bring the growth and development, performance appraisal is the evaluation of performance of

employees it act as a performance report that helps to rate the performance of employees,

rating the performance will depict the strength and weakness of employees and according to

that if there is weakness proper training is provided to overcome it and it will ultimately

makes the employee to enhance its knowledge, skills and ability ( KSA) there are various

techniques of training under on the job and off the job method of training. If the strength is at

peak the employee’s further career planning and development is done, there are many ways

of conducting career planning and development including transfer, promotion, and succession

planning hence PA is an effective tool for bringing desired growth and development.

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS:

Ethics is a system of internal controls, that means it is acceptable in nature because this arise

from personally accepted principles, it is a code of behaviour that is considered morally

correct, so professional ethics explains that certain profession have their own organisational

and personal standard of behaviour that a professional individual must carry while

performing his/her profession. In today’s professional scenario most of the business, service,

HRD Process

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and educational organizations have their own internal code of conduct that defines the ethics

of certain profession that is needed to be practiced voluntarily.

Example: The one of the universally accepted code of practice for the profession of teaching

is that a Teacher need to carry humbleness and genuineness while dealing with the students,

along with this she voluntarily guide the students towards correct path of life.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL IN GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION:

When it comes towards employees of government the deal is with occupying particular

position and security of job. Performance appraisal in government organisation lacks the

professional approach that means the quality of performance appraisal is low and can’t be

trusted, it also does not provide the correct ratings and judgement of performance of the

employees, the government organisations does not follow the modern method of appraising

performance of employees they mostly prepare confidential reports on employees which is

prepared by the superiors so there is no way chance of getting evaluation from all the angles

,as in 360 and 720 degree performance appraisal it is possible to appraise the performance

from all the angles, the following points states the various drawbacks that prevails in

performance appraisal system of government organisation:

o Partiality and Biasness by superiors,

o Performance appraisal is not done on regular basis,

o Lasseiz fair attitude among employees due to job security,

o Unstructured and unprofessional approach in appraising performance,

o No proper availability of job description of employees.

A part from above if we see practically in the police department the honest and uncorrupted

officers are often transferred when they are about to reach the truth or else he is demoted

from the current position on the other hand the corrupted officers are often promoted, the

basic reason is the hand of the unethical political leaders and senior officers, the senior

officers if they are honest they are been dominated by political leaders.

So there is a need to develop a code of practice from top to bottom authorities in the

government organizations, the standard of behaviour is needed to be practice which is

ETHICS Voluntarily

practiced

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morally acceptable and which will also lead to the development of morally clean and healthy

society.

ETHICS IN PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL AT GOVERNMENT

ORGANISATION:

360 degree performance appraisal is one of the best technique under modern method of

performance appraisal which would give the correct judgement about the performance of a

particular employee and on the basis of this fair career planning and development could be

done accordingly, further 720 degree performance appraisal can also be undertaken to see

that whether the feedback given after 360 degree appraising is been implemented or not, i.e.

360 multiplied by 2, 720 degree performance appraisal is a dual evaluation system, this

system is not only beneficial in evaluation but also the employee gets the chance to rectify its

mistake and overcome his/her weaknesses after getting the ratings from initial 360 degree

appraisal.

× =

Hence the above technique of performance appraisal will not only gives the evaluation from

all angles but also helps the management to undertake fair decision on promotion, demotion,

transfer and further career development and growth strategies, and this will provide the equal

opportunities to every individual employees.

employee

superiors

client

subordinates

peers

360 degree 2 720 degree

360 degree performance appraisal

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Apart from the above, the performance appraisal must be done at regular intervals than only it

will lead the employees to work on their weakness, to get a true picture of performance, and

to conduct fair career development and growth opportunities.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OF ETHICAL PROFESSIONALS:

Development follows training that means with the help of training the process of

development take place. Development is a long term process that follows different levels of

training so that the individual employee can enhance his/her (KSA) that is Knowledge, Skills

and Ability. Training comparative to development is a short term process, under training the

employees develop professional, technical and various other skills that is needed to perform

the job as per the standard required in the same way the practice of ethical norms requires

training, an individual employee need to follow a code of conduct while performing his/her

profession and this is only possible with the help of training.

There are various techniques under on the job and off the job method of training, some of the

areas are listed below where actually the knowledge of ethics can be gained, skills can be

developed to adopt the behaviour which is ethical and ability can be raised to perform it.

Off the job training: ( mostly the business schools like MBA institutes follows this

method)

Lecture method: Theoretical knowledge about ethics can be imparted among the trainees

Vestibule training: when a large number of employees needed to be trained vestibule

training is followed, where in the actual job conditions are dublicated or stimulated and the

trainee is trained in different work life conditions which he has to face while performing the

actual job, so here the code of behaviour could be practiced.

Case studies: It is a written description of an actual work life situations and the trainee is

supposed to analyze the case, the questions are been asked at the end of case studies, the

trainee give his conclusion about which code of behaviour he will follow in that situation.

Role playing: The realistic situation is created as in the case studies and the trainee assumes

the part of specific personalities in the situation, example, what code of behaviour is needed

to be followed by a leader, a boss or an employee.

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On the job training: ( mostly the business organisation follows this method)

Coaching and counselling: In the former the supervisor plays an active role whereas in the

later the supervisor plays a passive role, in both the cases the trainees can be trained with the

worklife ethics, the supervisors assign the task, assist for it, provide guidance, and give

instructions.

Internship training: It is basically the joint programme of training between the educational

institutions and the business organisations, it is followed in professional courses like MBA,

MBBS, ENGINEERING, etc, where the trainees could gain the theoretical knowledge of

ethics in educational institute and practical learning of code of behaviour in business

organisations.

Apprenticeship training: It combines the actual job training along with classroom

instructions, the trainees are on their job and training is provided at the workplace itself, in

this method the practical learning as well as theoretical knowledge of ethics can be provided

to the trainees.

Apart from above the proper mix of motivational forces must be done that is the employees

who follow the ethical code of behaviour must be rewarded in positive manner, whereas the

employees whose behaviour is against the ethical code of behaviour must be punished or

negative reinforcement can be use.

Thus with the help of training the Knowledge, skill and ability of the employees could be

develop in the field of professional ethics and code of behaviour.

ETHICS AND VALUES OF HUMANITY AT WORKPLACE:

The values of humanity are the moral values or the code of behaviour that can only bring into

practice by training i.e. first by educating these values to employees so that they become

value educated professionals but this education is incomplete until and unless these values are

being practiced during training program of employees.

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The given below are some of the values of humanity that could be followed by the

organisations:

EQUITY & JUSTICE:

The ethical reward system should be followed at workplace that means there must be

equality and justice in rewarding system, the reward must be paid according to performances,

achievements and qualifications of employees, no partiality should be undertaken by the

rewarding authorities, the employees who deserve must get the reward accordingly, the

equity can be followed in following areas: a) remuneration, b) promotion, c) motivation

factors ( monetary and non–monetary incentives), and d) equal career development

opportunities.

RESPECT:

There must be professionalism followed by the HR in the organisations, that is the attitude of

giving and taking respect, respectful behaviour must be followed and that honours the dignity

and develop trust among the employees, whether the employee is working at junior level or

EQUITY

SYNERGY

EMPLOYEE RETENTION

EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE CODE

OF CONDUCT

RESPECT

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senior level he/she must give and take respect, there must not only be respectful behaviour

among the HR but also the proper code of behaviour in all areas of performing their

profession it includes use of language that is acceptable at workplace, professional attire, etc

SYNERGY:

The term synergy basically means working in a team spirit, there must be collaboration

among the various employees while performing the job, the team spirit in workplace helps to

bring belongingness among the employees. The application of ethics in various areas of job is

possible only when there is team spirit and collaboration among the employees they work as

a team to follow the code of behaviour in the organisation.

EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE CODE OF CONDUCT:

Ethical principles are applied to all the aspect of employer-employee relationship, the

employer follows the code of conduct to think about the welfare of employees, formulate and

implement various employee welfare programs and policies, whereas the employee follows

the code of conduct to perform the duty honestly and carry out his day to day activity in the

welfare of the organisation where he works.

EMPLOYEE RETENTION:

The code of behaviour is followed by the employer of retaining the honest and deserving

employees this is possible by providing job securities to them.

TECHNICAL ASPECT AND HUMAN ASPECT:

TECHNICAL ASPECT: It is basically the expertise knowledge needed to perform the job

professionally. The technical aspect is actually related to the field knowledge which is gain

by educational training and by taking experience in that particular field, example: when we

use the term engineers there are various specialised field that have an engineers and these

engineers are technically expert in that area, i.e. mechanical engineer, automobile engineer,

civil engineer etc.

HUMAN ASPECT: While getting the work done by the employees they must be treated as

human being not as machines and this is possible only when values of humanity is followed

and given it is prime importance in the organisation. The feelings, emotions and sentiments of

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employees must be understand, there might be a time when the performance of employees is

not perfect and that’s ok they must be politely treated to overcome it.

THE ROLE OF TRAINED AND VALUE EDUCATED PROFESSIONALS IN

ESTABLISHING STRONG CORPORATE GOVERNANCE:

Corporate governance is the rules, regulations, system and principles of conducting fair

business of the corporate, it is the mechanism that governs the activities and behaviour of the

corporate, it provides the framework under which the corporate conduct it business activities

in the benefit of various stakeholders ,every organisation have its own philosophy of

corporate governance.

Establishment of strong corporate governance reflects the strength of corporate for serving to

various stakeholders and it provides the clear directions to and strong controls over the

various business activities, establishment of corporate governance ensures commitment to

values and ethical conduct of business, the trained and value educated professionals play a

very active role in it, the ethics and value education in the HRD process helps to develop the

following qualities among the professionals they are:

Responsible, Accountable, Disciplined and Fair in their dealings.

The trained and value educated professionals are considered as an asset of the business

organisation, so if this asset is well managed the outcome will be greater than expectations,

the ethical CEO, president, vice-president, board of directors, managers, senior and junior

level employees are the investment of the organisation and the interest is seen by the good

corporate governance and the good business, this lead to the development of good corporate

culture within and good corporate image within and outside the organisation.

There is the commitment to values and ethical conduct of business internally and its results

are been seen externally in the terms of fair business dealings and no discrimination between

any group of stakeholders, fulfilment of responsibility towards various stakeholders, order

and discipline will help in underlying principles of good corporate governance.

Ethical and

value educated

professionals.

Establishment of

strong corporate

governance

Development of good

corporate culture and

image

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FULFILLMENT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:

When the organisation follows the ethics and apply the code of practice in various process of

human resource development the organisation is able to fulfil its responsibility towards its

employees and society, that by the fair performance appraisal , fair career development and

growth opportunities is generated for the employees and fair recruitment and selection

strategies will lead to the generation of equal opportunities for employment in the society

irrespective of caste, creed, religion, etc. so that there is all round development of society.

When the ethics is applied in the process of HRD the above mentioned CSR could be

achieved, the corporate fulfil its responsibility towards employees by giving each and every

employee a fair chance for career development and growth, increase in pay scale, bonus, and

other non- monetary benefits. The corporate can fulfil its responsibility towards the society

by generating the fair employment opportunities that can done by fulfilling the vacancy

through fair evaluation, judgment and selection of the candidates fairly on the basis of their

qualifications, experiences and attitude and not on the reference basis or depending on his

religion, caste, colour etc.

SUSTAINABILTY:

Due to the establishment of strong corporate governance there will be a long term flow of

directions and control in the business organisation, fulfilment of CSR will help in developing

CSR towards employees

Fair performance

appraisal

Employee welfare

CSR towards society

Fair recruitment

and selection

Society welfare

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good corporate image and reputation among the various stakeholders and hence from the

above there would be long term sustainability of the organisation.

CONCLUSION:

The application of ethics in the process of HRD plays a leading and crucial role in

development of value educated and trained professionals, the ethical and value educated

professionals can develop through the process of training both on the job and off the training

method could be followed, due to this there is the internal commitment of values and ethics

and the results is establishment of strong corporate governance which leads to development

of fair and good conduct of business, the application of ethics in the process of HRD help in

the fulfilment of CSR towards employees and society and this lead to the development of

good corporate image and long term sustainability of the organisation.