Business and Professional Ethics

This article discusses workplace sexual harassment, ethical theories of Kantian and Utilitarian, employer liability, prevention and redressal measures, and more. It also covers the impact of mindfulness, sleep, and exercise on improving the scenario. References are included.

Running head: BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
Business and Professional Ethics
Name of the Student
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1. What is workplace sexual harassment as per the Australian Human Rights
Commission?
Sexual harassment in general refers to an unwelcome sexual advance requesting for
sexual favors of a sexual nature in relation to the person who has been harassed in a
certain circumstances as mentioned in the Sex Discrimination Act, 1984. Workplace
sexual harassment refers to the activities that have been mentioned above occurring or
happening in an organization (Quick and McFadyen 2017). The Australian Human Rights
Commission states when a reasonable individual has anticipated the probability of the
individual being harassed will be humiliated because of the sexual nature or favors.
2. The morality of sexual harassment based on the moral theories of Kantian and
Utilitarian.
Sexual harassment is one of the sexual abuses that take place in the workplaces.
Utilitarian and Kantian theories can be applied when there has been sexual harassment at
workplace. Therefore, when Kantian ethics is applied in the concept of sexual harassment,
every common kind has been treated as violation. The Kantian sees the process of sexual
harassment as a tendency to inhibit otherwise that is possible for the growth and
development. Therefore, the Kantian theory always violates the categorical imperative of the
sexual harassment. Hence, there is a danger exists in accepting the principle of the theories
that can be implied in the sexual harassment. It is therefore, treated to be an appropriate
approach for this situation. In the conclusion when both the theories are applied it was stated
that ethics approach to sexual harassment results in violation.
3.
(a) If the situation state that the perpetrator did not speak or touch the employee but sent
explicit text messages and emails then it will not result in any kind of sexual harassment as

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per the Australian Human Rights Commission (2014). Without these two elements, it cannot
constitute in sexual harassment.
(b) If the perpetrator did not want to have sex with the employee, but exchanged messages
and calls and spoke to her in a sexually manner then it will constitute the concept of sexual
harassment according to the Australian Human Rights Commission (2014). However, if there
is no involvement of consent and desire of abusing any individual sexually then it cannot be
treated as sexual harassment (HerscH 2015).
(c) If the employee had previously associated in a sexually explicit conversation in the
workplace then this situation can be treated to result in sexual harassment (Malhotra and
Srivastava 2016). The previous conversation itself is the evidence of the fact that it is an
element of sexual harassment as per the Australian Human Rights Commission (2014).
(d) In circumstances where the employee has given consent to have sex with the perpetrator,
it is not considered as a case of sexual harassment as it have been provided by the Australian
Human Rights Commission (2014). Providing consent will not result in any kind of sexual
harassment.
4. Four ways in which the employers may be liable for workplace sexual harassment
The four ways by which the employers can be held liable for workplace sexual harassment
are the following:
 If an individual asks inappropriate questions and makes suggestions about the sex life
of a person.
 If there have been threats or intimidation against an employee who makes statement
about the unwelcome behavior associating sexual overtones.
 If offensive and sexist posters, pictures, texts, mms or emails have been displayed by

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an employee.
 If there have been repeated offensive remarks including teasing an employee
5. How an employer can prevent and redress the claims of sexual harassment?
There are strategies by which an employer can redress and prevent the claims of
sexual harassment (Lockhart 2016). The following are the preventing measures:
 To adopt a clear policy of sexual harassment for the employers and employees
 To train the employees regarding the concept of sexual harassment
 To provide training to the managers and supervisors
 To ensure that both employer and employees are aware of the policies and norms
regarding sexual harassment.
6. What is "self-legislation" and "self-command" in Kantian ethics?
In the ethical theory of Kant, he had differentiated between self-command and self-
legislation. Both of these theories discusses the understanding of pursuit of virtue and moral
agency (Chavkoska 2016). However, self-command refers to a state that have been achieved
by those agents who are good at resolving the problems presented by passion. These agents
must stick to the results of self-legislation over time and obtain the temporary form of
freedom.
7. How does Kant believe that you may improve your "self-command"?
According to the theory of Kant, it can be said that there has been a puzzling situation
because of rational action and self-command should be improved. All the individuals for the
benefit of individuals must use the moral value of the self-command.

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8. Application of the paper of Wilson
Wilson’s idea can have an impact on the theory of Kantian analysis because it can
improve the concept of self-command and self-legislation. The employees working in an
organization should follow the ethics and perform ethically (Bartlett, Rhode and Grossman
2016).
9. The three ethical perspectives can be covered in the concept of sexual harassment. The
basic theories of Kantian, Utilitarianism and Deontology if applied in the specific
circumstances of extension then it can done (von and Karlan 2018).
10. Effect on the ethical analysis and conclusion
As it has been discussed above, the ethical analysis on sexual harassment at
workplace state that if both the employees and employer carry out their activities ethically
and with proper responsibility then there will be occurrence sexual harassment.
11. Impact
The biggest impact on an individual’s life state is mindfulness. It plays a significant
role in the since it will help the person in achieving the goals in an ethical manner in my
opinion. Being attentive and mindfulness helps to improve the scenario.
12. Three areas for improvement
There are three areas that will help to improve the scenario. Firstly, as mentioned
above, mindfulness will help to make the situation better Secondly, sleep is the second area
that can be improved and lastly, exercise.

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References:
Bartlett, K.T., Rhode, D.L. and Grossman, J.L., 2016. Gender and law: Theory, doctrine,
commentary. Wolters Kluwer Law & Business.
Blais, K., Hayes, J.S., Kozier, B. and Erb, G.L., 2015. Professional nursing practice:
Concepts and perspectives (p. 530). NJ: Prentice Hall.
Chavkoska, B., 2016. Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. Women and Sustainability in
Business: A Global Perspective, p.143.
HerscH, J., 2015. Sexual harassment in the workplace. IZA World of Labor.
Lockhart, L., 2016. Sexual harassment in the workplace. Nursing Made Incredibly
Easy, 14(6), p.55.
Malhotra, S. and Srivastava, A., 2016. Sexual harassment at the workplace: how
organizations can pro-actively reduce its incidence. Human Resource Management
International Digest, 24(7), pp.1-3.
McDonald, P., Charlesworth, S. and Graham, T., 2015. Developing a framework of effective
prevention and response strategies in workplace sexual harassment. Asia Pacific Journal of
Human Resources, 53(1), pp.41-58.
Quick, J.C. and McFadyen, M., 2017. Sexual harassment: Have we made any
progress?. Journal of occupational health psychology, 22(3), p.286.
von Gruenigen, V.E. and Karlan, B.Y., 2018. Sexual harassment in the work place: Its impact
on gynecologic oncology and women's health.