by Diversity and ethics in the workplace strive to make people of all socio-economic background feel comfortable working within the organization. It further promotes equal opportunities among all employees or prospective employees to be hired and promoted based on merit not race, gender or creed. A small organization diversity program maintains non-discrimination standards and enforces penalties for non-compliance. Beyond the legal compliance issues explored in workplace diversity, organizations can benefit from encouraging more than just tolerance but also an embrace of differences. In doing so, new horizons can be opened with new customer demographics, business partners and internal performance methods. Even a small organization is exposed to many different cultures; ethnicity and education levels and can improve future organization opportunities by managing diversity and ethics in the workplace.
The main contribution to knowledge from this research will be the positioning of knowledge with regard to diversity and ethical issues within the organization as well as the behavior of the people. The framework will highlight strategies on how diversity and ethics are perceived at different levels in an organization and how employees and managers’ views differ. When societal diversity and ethics are unmanaged in an organization, there will be obstacle in achieving organizational predetermined goals which will lead to poor organizational performance.
An organization known for its ethics, fair employment practices and appreciation for diverse talent is better able to attract a wider pool of qualified applicants. Other advantages include loyalty from customers who choose to do business only with companies whose business practices are socially responsible.
Diversity is a set of conscious practices that involve:
- Understanding and appreciating interdependence of humanity, cultures, and the natural environment.
- Practicing mutual respect for qualities and experiences that are different from our own.
- Understanding that diversity includes not only ways of being but also ways of knowing.
- Recognizing that personal, cultural and institutionalized discrimination creates and sustains privileges for some while creating and sustaining disadvantages for others.
- Building alliances across differences so that we can work together to eradicate all forms of discrimination.
Discrimination and Harassment
Laws require organizations to be equal employment opportunity employers. Organizations must recruit a diverse workforce, enforce policies and training that support an equal opportunity program, and foster an environment that is respectful of all types of people.
Toxic Workplace Culture
Organizations helmed by unethical leadership are more often than not plagued by a toxic workplace culture. Leaders who think nothing of taking bribes, manipulating sales figures and data or pressuring employees or business associates for “favors” (whether they be personal or financial), will think nothing of disrespecting and bullying their employees. With the current emphasis in many organizations to hire for “cultural fit,” a toxic culture can be exacerbated by continually repopulating the company with like-minded personalities and toxic mentalities.
Unrealistic and Conflicting Goals
Your organization sets a goal it could be a monthly sales figure or product production number that seems unrealistic, even unattainable. While not unethical in and of itself (after all, having driven leadership with aggressive company goals is crucial to innovation and growth), it’s how employees, and even some leaders, go about reaching the goal that could raise an ethical red flag.
