hrm ethics
DESCRIPTION
ethicsTRANSCRIPT
Ethical BehaviorEthical Behavior7-12
Conforming to moral Conforming to moral standards or conforming standards or conforming to standards of conduct to standards of conduct of profession or groupof profession or group– Adapts to social norms Adapts to social norms and in response to needs and in response to needs and interests of those and interests of those affectedaffected
Conforming to moral Conforming to moral standards or conforming standards or conforming to standards of conduct to standards of conduct of profession or groupof profession or group– Adapts to social norms Adapts to social norms and in response to needs and in response to needs and interests of those and interests of those affectedaffected
Areas of Concern for Areas of Concern for ClassClass
7-12
Employee privacyEmployee privacyTesting and evaluationTesting and evaluationOrganizational researchOrganizational research
Employee privacyEmployee privacyTesting and evaluationTesting and evaluationOrganizational researchOrganizational research
TermsTerms
PrivacyPrivacy – the state of being free from – the state of being free from unsanctioned intrusion into one’s behavior or unsanctioned intrusion into one’s behavior or personal informationpersonal information
ConfidentialityConfidentiality - discretion in keeping secret - discretion in keeping secret information information
Ethical dilemmaEthical dilemma – any situation that has the – any situation that has the potential to result in a breach of acceptable potential to result in a breach of acceptable behaviorbehavior
Ethical choiceEthical choice – considered choice among – considered choice among alternative courses of action in which the alternative courses of action in which the interests of all parties have been clarified and interests of all parties have been clarified and the risks and gains have been evaluated the risks and gains have been evaluated openly and mutuallyopenly and mutually
Legally acceptable behavior Legally acceptable behavior with respect to privacywith respect to privacy
EEO legislation – meaning and EEO legislation – meaning and extent of unfair discrimination and extent of unfair discrimination and how to avoid ithow to avoid it
Professional standards and federal Professional standards and federal guidelines – appropriate guidelines – appropriate procedures for developing and procedures for developing and validating assessment instrumentsvalidating assessment instruments
Challenges of providing individual Challenges of providing individual privacy and freedom of informationprivacy and freedom of information
Does an employer have the right to search an employee’s computer files or review the employee’s email or voice mail?
Can companies keep information about the employee in separate files (the employee’s file and the supervisor’s file) and allow the employee access to only one?
Can employers use private investigation agencies to collect information about their employees?
Can an employer give employment information about an individual to a potential creditor or to a landlord?
Fair information practicesFair information practices The Electronic Communications Privacy The Electronic Communications Privacy
Act (1986) – prohibits outside Act (1986) – prohibits outside interception of electronic mail by 3interception of electronic mail by 3rdrd party without proper authorization; allows party without proper authorization; allows monitoring by employermonitoring by employer
Employees should:Employees should:– Know company’s written policyKnow company’s written policy– Abstain from personal internet use if in doubtAbstain from personal internet use if in doubt– Use own email accountUse own email account– Limit personal surfing/emailing to times outside office Limit personal surfing/emailing to times outside office
hourshours– When composing email or downloading info, ask When composing email or downloading info, ask
yourself if you’d post in on your office dooryourself if you’d post in on your office door– When it comes to privacy in the workplace, assume When it comes to privacy in the workplace, assume
you don’t have anyyou don’t have any
To establish a fair information practice To establish a fair information practice policy, employers should:policy, employers should:– Set up guidelines & policies to protect information in the Set up guidelines & policies to protect information in the
organizationorganization Limit information collectionLimit information collection Ensure accuracy, timeliness, completeness of infoEnsure accuracy, timeliness, completeness of info Limit external disclosuresLimit external disclosures
– Inform employees of info-handling policiesInform employees of info-handling policies Type and use of informationType and use of information
– Become thoroughly familiar with state & federal laws Become thoroughly familiar with state & federal laws regarding privacyregarding privacy Regularly review for complianceRegularly review for compliance
– Establish a policy that any manager or non-manager Establish a policy that any manager or non-manager who violates privacy principles will be subject to who violates privacy principles will be subject to discipline or terminationdiscipline or termination
Employees’ physical privacyEmployees’ physical privacy
Can employers physically search employees in the workplace?
We already heard that employers can electronically monitor you at work, but can they hire a private investigator to monitor you outside of work?
To ensure employee’s To ensure employee’s physical privacyphysical privacy
Base the search/seizure policy on legitimate Base the search/seizure policy on legitimate employer interestsemployer interests
Include all types of searchesInclude all types of searches Provide adequate notice to employees before Provide adequate notice to employees before
instituting the programinstituting the program Instruct those conducting the search not to Instruct those conducting the search not to
touch any employee (or to limit touching)touch any employee (or to limit touching) Conduct search away from other employees Conduct search away from other employees
and on company timeand on company time Don’t observe in areas in which there is a Don’t observe in areas in which there is a
reasonable expectation of privacyreasonable expectation of privacy Ask if employee would like attorney present Ask if employee would like attorney present
during investigative interviewduring investigative interview
Testing and evaluationTesting and evaluation
Making employment decisionsMaking employment decisions– TestsTests– InterviewsInterviews– Situational exercisesSituational exercises– Performance appraisalsPerformance appraisals
Ethical issuesEthical issues– FairnessFairness– ProprietyPropriety– Individual rightsIndividual rights
Suppose you are in the middle of the hiring process at a company for which you really want to work. Also suppose the company expects you to submit to a round of testing – personality tests, intelligence tests, ability tests.
What type of treatment would you expect regarding the testing procedures?
Responsibilities to those evaluatedResponsibilities to those evaluated– Guarding against invasion of privacyGuarding against invasion of privacy– Treating employees with respect Treating employees with respect
Standardizing proceduresStandardizing procedures
– Test accuracy - Minimizing erroneous Test accuracy - Minimizing erroneous acceptance & rejection decisionsacceptance & rejection decisions Ensuring validity of instrumentEnsuring validity of instrument
– Contrasting social consequences of proposed test Contrasting social consequences of proposed test with potential consequences of alternatives or with potential consequences of alternatives or nonenone
Providing reasonable opportunities for Providing reasonable opportunities for retesting and reconsiderationretesting and reconsideration
Obligations to employersObligations to employers– Conveying accurate info regarding Conveying accurate info regarding
expectations for usefulnessexpectations for usefulness– Providing reliable, valid, fair info within Providing reliable, valid, fair info within
limits of resourceslimits of resources– Balancing vested interest of employer Balancing vested interest of employer
with government regulations and with with government regulations and with those evaluatedthose evaluated
In her last job, a worker’s job title was HR assistant and her responsibilities were to help the HR director by taking employment interviews developed by the HR director and create documents from them, create the database corresponding to the compensation plan developed by the HR director, and creating a system to organize employee files containing performance evaluations conducted by the HR director.
She learned a great deal from this HR director during her tenure with the company, but she is currently updating her resume to look for a new position.
When she lists her experience, can she say that she has experience creating employment interviews, creating compensation systems, and creating performance evaluation systems?
Suppose you work for a large organization and there is talk that the employees are going to file suit against the company for improper hiring and promotion practices. The head of HR asks you to conduct research into the company’s previous decisions but asks you to keep your findings secret. You find that the company has been discriminating against minorities.
What would you do?
Organizational ResearchOrganizational Research
Some common ethical dilemmasSome common ethical dilemmas– Misrepresentation of qualifications and collusion Misrepresentation of qualifications and collusion – Misuse of dataMisuse of data– Manipulation and coercionManipulation and coercion– Value and goal conflictValue and goal conflict– Technical ineptnessTechnical ineptness
Some methods for addressing the issuesSome methods for addressing the issues– Clarify rolesClarify roles– Reduce role conflictReduce role conflict– Clarify normsClarify norms
Who do you think will blow the Who do you think will blow the whistle?whistle?
Those working for organizations perceived by others to be responsible to complaints or not responsible to them?
Those who hold professional or nonprofessional positions?
Those with positive or negative attitudes toward their work?
Those with long or short service with the company?
Those who have recently been recognized for good performance or those who have recently received poor evaluations?
Women or men?
Those working in large or small work groups?