Utilitarian and Deontological Considerations Today, Many Places

Utilitarian and Deontological Considerations Today, many places of work require their employees to adhere to a prescribed dress code. In basic terms, a dress code is essentially a guide on what employees should or should not wear to work. In this text, I concern myself with utilitarian and deontological considerations in relation to dress code regulations in the workplace. Workplace Dress Code Regulations: Utilitarian and Deontological Considerations In an attempt to design an appropriate image for their companies, employers routinely demand that employees adhere to a prescribed dress code.

For instance, Company A could demand that all its male employees be dressed in a business suit and a tie. On the other hand, Company B. may take a less relaxed approach to dressing and allow its employees to report for work dressed in what is often referred to as 'business casual' wear. Although setting a dress code could help a company project its image appropriately, not everybody views dress codes positively. For instance, there are employees who claim that some dress codes are rather restrictive and discriminative.

Given these varying views and opinions, there exists a need to discuss this very issue in a utilitarian and deontological context. In basic terms, utilitarianism largely favors actions that benefit the greatest number of people. In this particular case, the decision maker is forced to think in terms of the general welfare (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2008). One of the most influential contributors to this theory was John Stuart Mill.

As Bredeson (2011) points out, "to mill, a correct decision was one that tended to maximize overall happiness and minimize overall pain." Thus in regard to our main issue of concern, dress codes can only be regarded ethically correct if they maximize or further advance overall happiness while minimizing overall pain, suffering, or discomfort. In my opinion, dress codes do not maximize overall happiness. In addition to being uncomfortable, some dress codes may be offensive to the religious and/or personal sentiments of some employees.

For instance, Company A could deem it fit to require female employees to report for work clad in very short skirts. As much as it would be offensive, such a move could hurt the religious as well as personal sentiments of some of the affected employees. Setting a workplace dress code could also be seen as an affront on personal liberty and freedom of choice. Thus in the final analysis, workplace dress codes do not maximize the overall happiness.

Some deontological considerations also do exist when it comes to dress codes. The deontological theory generally recommends that people act in accordance to not only their duties but also their obligations. It is largely rule based (Corrigan and Farrell, 2010).

In the words of Brooks and Dunn (2009), "deontological ethics takes the position that rightness depends on the respect shown for duty, and the fairness that those duties reflect." In that regard, dress codes can be regarded acceptable from an ethical perspective if the concerned company adheres to both its obligations and duties in seeking to enact a dress code in the workplace. This is particularly the case in those instances where such a dress code is seen to be decent and fair.

In regard to the employees, it is their duty to ensure that the reputation of the company is not affected as a direct result of their distasteful and unprofessional mode of dressing. Some professions including but not limited to auditing require employees to be professionally dressed. When the company sets the appropriate dress code in this particular.