The requirement of signing the code is one of the best ways to implement it because there is then proof that all employees have received it. It is important, however, to hold an employee meeting and go over the code of ethics so that employees can ask questions, clear up any concerns, and make sure that they understand the code. If the business has individuals working there that do not have English as their first language, printing copies of the code in other languages to accommodate employees will help these employees understand the code and will also show that the employer made the best and most thorough effort to ensure that everything was understood by everyone. Implementing a code of ethics is not easy, and people sometimes forget to follow the rules, so there also needs to be some leniency in the beginning, depending on the infraction that was committed. Verbal reprimands and written reprimands can be used, but serious offenses still must be treated quickly and severely to keep them from reoccurring, especially for serious issues such as sexual harassment.
Conflict has a lot to do with how diverse work groups have become over recent years, and this is definitely true where ethical issues are concerned. It was not long ago that organizational decision making groups could be expected to be comprised almost exclusively of white males, since this was the majority of the white-collar workforce. Now, both males and females hold these positions, and many are African-American or other minority racial or ethnic groups in these positions. While this makes for a great deal of diversity in suggestions and decisions, it also makes for a great deal of conflict because cultures and ideas often collide (Pelled, et. al, 1999).
Naturally, there will likely be reactions to the implementation of the code - and not all of the reactions will be good ones. People often do not like changes being made to something that they are used to, and most people -especially those that have been there for a very long time - will resist these changes. It will be the job of those that run the company and those that work in human resources to ensure that the code is implemented properly and...
This will give the employees the opportunity to ask any questions that they have and address any problems that they might see from the new code. It will also allow them to clarify anything in the code that is not easily understood so that someone does not violate the code without actually realizing that they have done so.
The change will, however, hopefully affect the company in a positive way by making it a safer and better place to work for all that are involved. While it will take some time for employees to get used to the new code, ultimately it will be much better for everyone, and it will help employees that might have been concerned before to feel more comfortable with their work and their co-workers, which should also raise productivity and profit for the company. This is something that everyone in the company can benefit from, as good, strong, safe work environments are very important, and many employees feel that they are more desirable even than receiving raises or other monetary benefits. There are many things that can contribute to the decision-making capabilities of an organization. Whether it is a decision made by one person, or a decision made by a group, there are still many things that need to be looked at (Bethel, 1999).
Bibliography
Bethel, SM. (1999 December) Decisions, Decisions, Decisions. Food Management. (December, 1999). Retrieved at http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0BGE/12_34/58544732/p1/article.jhtml?term=%22organizational+behavior%22+and+%22decision+making%22.
Eisenhardt, KM. (1999 Spring) Strategy as strategic decision making. Sloan Management Review. Retrieved at http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m4385/3_40/54636302/p1/article.jhtml?term=%22organizational+behavior%22+and+%22decision+making%22.
Pelled, LH., Eisenhardt, KM., & Xin, KR. (1999 March) Exploring the black box: an analysis of work group diversity, conflict, and performance. Administrative Science Quarterly Retrieved at http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m4035/1_44/54482491/p1/article.jhtml?term=%22organizational+behavior%22+and+%22conflict%22+and+%22decision+making%22.
