Values, Ethics and Working Collaboratively

Values, Ethics and Working
Collaboratively
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task 1 – Newspaper Article.............................................................................................................3
A. Concept of ethics and factors influencing ethics....................................................................3
B. Importance of workplace ethics in an organisation................................................................4
C. Laws promoting good ethical practice in an organisation......................................................5
Task 2 Create a Cause and Effect Essay..........................................................................................6
A. Concept of Corporate Social Responsibility..........................................................................6
B. Issues faced by a new employee and expectations of public and clients from employee......7
C. Legal rights of people in relation to GDPR............................................................................7
Task 3 – Report................................................................................................................................8
A. Collaborative Working...........................................................................................................8
B. Relevant Strategies.................................................................................................................9
C. Guiding values........................................................................................................................9
D. Required interpersonal skills..................................................................................................9
E. Benefits of collaborative working........................................................................................10
F. Measures to promote equality and diversity in workplace...................................................10
G. British Values embedded into collaborative working..........................................................11
H. Consequences of poor collaborative working......................................................................11
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12
References......................................................................................................................................13
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Introduction
Ethics are the values that enables organisational resources to work collaboratively. This
assessment is aimed at assessing the related concepts of values, ethics and working
collaboratively (Lapadat, 2017). It is divided into 3 tasks. First task is to understand the concept
of ethics and its importance in business setting. Second task is to understand the responsibility of
employee towards business and business towards society. Third task is to develop an
understanding of collaborative working.
Task 1 – Newspaper Article
A. Concept of ethics and factors influencing ethics
Tesla's lock-down defiance
Electric Auto-maker Tesla was caught in 2020 with the attempts of defying lock-down orders.
In May, company restarted its vehicle production without permission and without taking
adequate measures for safety. As a result, Tesla workers were found positive in large number
and those who protested against it, were given termination letters (The biggest business
scandals of 2020, 2020).
Above-mentioned case is a clear violation of business ethics. Business ethics refers to the set of
values, principles and standards that is expected of a business organisation to observe in the
case of contingencies and potentially controversial subjects. It deals with the right and wrong in
relation to the corporate governance, corporate social responsibilities and fiduciary
responsibilities. No law defines the business ethics but provides guideline under various laws
that sets the tone for the ethical values that are expected out of business organisations, in order
to be more society friendly.
Other than laws and regulations, there are various factors that influence business ethics such as
personal code of ethics, ethical values adopted by company and social pressure (Wang and et.
al., 2020). These impact decision-making process of the management of the company. Tesla is a
ethical company and has clearly defined ethical code of conduct. Present market condition
requires safety and hygiene to be kept at paramount. It is the time when company dealing in
non-essential products needs to keep their social and personnel concerns over their economic
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and profit concerns. Tesla however, behaved contradictorily and its top management reopened
production facility without taking care of safety of workers which resulted in increased
COVID-19 cases in the workers. Even then, rather than behaving in a socially responsible
manner, company threatened to terminate the employees or depriving them of their jobs in the
times when people were already suffering job insecurity. Tesla needed to reconsider their
business practices in alignment with the expectations of the ethical practices expected from
them and the business conditions (Laukkanen and Tura, 2020).
B. Importance of workplace ethics in an organisation
Soup by McDonald's
CEO of McDonald's Steve Easterbrook was fired by the board in the end of 2019 for sexting
with a subordinate. Company filed a lawsuit against Easterbrook, in which he was further
alleged that he maintained physical relationship with three employees and had also approved
stock grants worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to one of the woman employee, against
company policies. Company wants him to pay-back while Easterbrook maintains that company
knew about the transaction, so there is no need for repayment and that relations were consensual
so they were not wrong and that his resignation is only goodwill gesture (The biggest business
scandals of 2020, 2020).
The case is still going on and both company and ex-CEO maintains their stand. But, the
question here is not just about the monetary compensation and relationship with employee. It is
about work-culture and work place ethics. Both the management and staff has some ethical
rules which should be observed such as stock grants to employees must be according to
company policies and no policy shall be bend to give undue benefit to any employee because of
the personal relationship of the company personnels. It is very important not to take undue
advantage of ethical practices otherwise it might lead to development of toxic culture in the
organisation.
Workplace ethics are very important for they lead to positive developments in the company,
help it improve its productivity and performance and enlightens its future path of success
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