The ethical role of HR

December-17, 2021

 Asiri Liyanage

                    



 

Legge commented that “In very general terms I would suggest that the experience of HRM is more likely to be viewed positively if its underlying principles are ethical” (Legge, 1998 as cited in Armstrong, 2014).

Kochan (2007: 600) suggested that: “HR derives its social legitimacy from its ability to serve as an effective steward of a social contract in employment relationships capable of balancing and integrating the interests and needs of employers, employees and the society in which these relationships are embedded” (Kochan, 2007 as cited in Armstrong, 2014). Ensuring that all the needs of both employer and employees and the needs of the community in which these relationships are rooted are fufilled is one of the main roles of HRM.

“Multiple pressures can lead to undesirable business behaviour” (Harris, 2016). As commented by Fiona, companies and staffs in modern day are experiencing multiple preasures such as economic, Political, Social, Technological, Legislative and Ethical changes, and Environmental preasures (Harris, 2016).

 

Ethical Standards in HRM

Avoiding discrimination based on religion, sex, handicap, race, physical attributes, sexual orientation, political affiliations and in some areas this include the hiring of employees and issues of promotion, discrimination, sexual harassment, and privacy, as well as the practice of stated occupational safety and health standards. Further it must ensure that people are hired based on merit, not any personal or professional bias, preferences, or inclinations (Ejim, 2021).

HR departments are increasingly faced with responsibilities such as creating diversity in the workplace, resolving issues of inequity, and establishing workplace conduct standards, in addition to wages and benefits. Human resources ethics rules on these topics can frequently have a direct impact on how a company attracts and maintains talent (cornerstone, 2019).

 

Guidelines to ensure ethical standards in your business

HR professionals that uphold strong ethical standards and strive for a fair work environment will maintain employee confidence and attract new candidates. Below given are a few guidelines to be followed by HR Professionals in order to ensure ethical standards of an organization.

1) Know the laws

As a representative of an organization, HR professionals have to make tough decisions and hold employees accountable for wrongful actions wich is not an easy task.

2) Prioritize professional development

Staying on top of the constant changes occur in the HR Field in terms of technological advancements and dedication to aquire new sets of skills and knowledge helps to stay ahead of the curve.

3) Be an ethical HR leader

Being confident in your moral decisions and effectively communicating them to employees.

4) Understand conflicts of interest

Conflicts of interest are detrimental to how a business operates because they create internal politics.

5) Implement diversity and inclusion practices

Focusing on recruiting efforts across race, class and gender in order to have a diverse workforce, but ensuring that all the groups of people feel valued and included.

6) Keep information confidential

HR professionals have access to a lot of confidential information about employees and it is the responsibility of HR Pofessionals to make sure that company information is protected,

 

References

Armstrong, M., 2014. ARMSTRONG’S HANDBOOK OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENTPRACTICE. 13 ed. London: Ashford Colour Press Ltd.

cornerstone, 2019. Ethics in human resources: 6 guidelines for HR teams. [Online]
Available at: https://www.cornerstoneondemand.com/resources/article/ethics-human-resources-6-guidelines-hr-teams/
[Accessed 16 12 2021].

Ejim, E., 2021. What Is the Role of Ethics in Human Resource Management?. [Online]
Available at: https://www.smartcapitalmind.com/what-is-the-role-of-ethics-in-human-resource-management.htm
[Accessed 16 12 2021].

Harris, F., 2016. What is HR's role in ethics?. [Online]
Available at: https://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/content/features/what-is-hr-s-role-in-ethics-1
[Accessed 16 12 2021].

Comments

  1. D.L.A Sanjeewa.130887December 17, 2021 at 5:38 AM

    When it come to work ethics age is just a number. Most of people used to talk about age and experience in years not about work ethics.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownDecember 17, 2021 at 7:14 AM

    Ethical role of the HR is a important topic and you have done it creative and attractive way. Sex or age not the important thing to develop a organisation. Skills are the important part to sustain the business and continuously improvement.
    Priyankara

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chularathna2021MBADecember 17, 2021 at 4:31 PM

    Professionalism is founded on ethics. When advising corporate executives, experts should display high levels of integrity in order to foster cultures of respect and accountability. It appears that you have tried to present some important information about ethics in this article thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. amila MBA HR blogsDecember 18, 2021 at 1:21 AM

    Thanks for the shearing related HR post it is really important for the improve the company values. this article really good for all

    ReplyDelete
  5. E127918December 19, 2021 at 5:59 AM

    When dealing with ethical issues, HR managers must recognize the complexity involved, minimize escalation, and guard against the emotional and reputational damage that can occur. HR managers must also have a global perspective on ethical concerns, which is becoming increasingly relevant.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
  The Importance of Workforce Development December-17, 2021  Asiri Liyanage Workforce development programs can benefit your company whether your staff work on a manufacturing floor, at the request of medical patients, at their home offices, or behind the counter of a coffee shop. Workforce development is a win-win situation: it helps firms scale, profit, and prosper while also supporting employee career development, productivity, and success   (Wool, 2021) . Many companies are hesitant to devote significant resources to training and development since it is thought that it is an unnecessary burden in terms of cost. Organizations of all sizes should implement training strategies and structures that evolve over time and provide a competitive edge, even if there is no guarantee of a return on investment. Investing in the training and development of entry-level personnel is becoming more popular, as their roles are the easiest to fill as the trainee progresses up the corpo...
Read more
Image
  Corporate Social Responsibility                     December-17, 2021                         Asiri Liyanage What is Corporate Social Responsibility? “Corporate Social Responsibility is a management concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders. CSR is generally understood as being the way through which a company achieves a balance of economic, environmental and social imperatives”   (UNIDO, 2021) . According to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Corporate Social Responsibility is referred to as managing the company’s business processes to make a positive impact on the society.     Sustainability entails addressing our own demands without jeopardizing future generati...
Read more