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HR HIGHS
Organisational ethics spring from HR practices
In every organisation the HR has a crucial role in building the organisational culture and also moulding the ethical character of the workforce. Though the role of HR is evolving and assuming more strategic significance it is still widely recognised as the policing arm of the executive management. The HR has responsibility for all the functions that deal with the needs and activities of the employees. Hiring, training, leadership development, performance management, person
nel policy framework, salary and benefit programmes all come under the purview of the HR. Its overbearing presence has tremendous influence on the workforce. Therefore organisational culture that supports and encourages ethical behaviour depends to a great extent on the even handedness of HR systems.
Many organisations introduce formal ethics development programmes but they are of little use without strong role models that lead the way in creating an ethical culture. HR professionals are best suited to act as ethical role models considering their immense sway on the entire workforce. Ethical conduct of employees depends on how they perceive the organisational policies. If they perceive the organisational policies as fair they are motivated to work ethically. On the other hand if they perceive the policies as unfair they tend to adopt unethical behaviour too, thinking that it is all right to do so given the organisational culture. An ethical workforce leads the organisation to success and vice-versa. Fairness should be the central theme of all HR systems to avoid ethical misconduct from penetrating in the organisation. Fair treatment of all employees and fair decision-making procedure are necessary to weave an ethical culture.
The HR should focus on developing ethical leadership in the organisation. This can be achieved by adding an ethical dimension to the training programmes.
Also tying up ethical values to performance appraisals can give impressive results. A strong formal and informal ethical culture is essential to uphold such conduct in the organisation. If rewarding exemplary ethical conduct is necessary to inspire good ethical standards punishing unethical behaviour is also equally important.
HR should not be afraid to condemn and take action against unethical conduct even if it occurs in the upper echelons of the organisation.
HR can take the following actions to develop an ethical culture in the organisation:
Promote mutual trust: Mutual trust is an essential foundation. To build employee trust it is important to develop HR systems that share timely and accurate information with all the employees. Diverse opinions should be respected and creativity should be encouraged. Hard work and sincerity should be rewarded at all levels.
Foster creative freedom: The work culture should accord employee enough freedom to experiment. Mistakes should be tolerated as long as lessons are learnt. If the organisational culture is such that mistakes and errors are not tolerated employees shirk responsibility. They hide information when things go wrong much to the detriment of the organisation.
Give the correct picture: Right from the time of hiring HR should always present the true picture about the organisation before the employees.
Raising false expectations regarding individual and company growth prospects mar employee trust and can lead to demoralised staff and depleting ethical values in the organisation.
Set high standards of performance: HR systems such as performance development programmes should have high performance standards as the key goal. They should motivate employees to give out superior performance by suitably designing rewards and recognition programmes.
Fairness in implementing these policies should never be sacrificed. Biased decisions that reward mediocrity lead to erosion of employee faith in the organisation’s ethics and core values.
Even the slightest neglect on part of HR professionals in implementing fairness principles has bigger and long-term repercussions on the organisational work culture.
When ethical misconduct spreads, it spreads quite inconspicuously and comes to light only when enough damage has been done. Major ethical debacles can be avoided if HR assiduously assumes the role of an ethical role model.
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N. PURNIMA SRIKRISHNA
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