BUSM4590 People and Organisations: Ethical Culture HR Report

This report examines the ethical organizational culture and human resource management (HRM) practices implemented by Marks & Spencer. The report explores the significance of ethical culture and its impact on employee behavior, organizational performance, and overall business success. It delves into specific HRM practices such as training and mentoring programs, and reward and recognition systems, highlighting their role in shaping ethical conduct within the workplace. The report analyzes these practices using relevant theories and workplace examples, providing insights into how Marks & Spencer fosters a culture of integrity, fairness, and employee satisfaction. Furthermore, the report offers practical recommendations for promoting ethical behavior and organizational culture, drawing from the literature and the examples provided. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of ethical practices for long-term business sustainability and the creation of a positive work environment.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY.................................................................................................................................................3
Training and mentoring Programs...........................................................................................................3
Rewards and recognition.........................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................................5
RECOMMENDATIONS..................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Organisational culture is considered as the method that describes about how a company
function (Carlini and et.al., 2019). Generally, culture is considered as abstract term and tough for
measuring. Human Resource Department of a company focuses on implementing various practices and
activities that helps in defining ethical corporate culture and its effectiveness. Ethical organizational
culture serves the best interest for customers, employees and society at large as well. Marks & Spencer
aims at implementing different HR practices that promotes ethical organisational culture. The present
report explains about relevant theories and workplace examples for explaining different practices
implemented by organisation. The report further provides well-supported and set of logical
recommendations which are related to literature or theories provided.
MAIN BODY
The organisational cultural is driven by effectively combining the different leadership practices or
styles, organisational culture and various program implemented and adapted by company. The Human
Resource Department plays important role in effectively implementing the different practices. Marks &
Spencer aims at implementing ethical workplace culture that gives priority for rights of employees, fair
procedures and also promotes equity for promotion and pay (Akaah, 2018). The ethical practices also
promote compassion, tolerance, honesty and loyalty regarding the treatment of employees and
customers as well. Following are given brief theoretical description about HR Practices that are adapted
and implemented by Marks & Spencer for promoting ethical behavioural and culture.
Training and mentoring Programs
The leadership behaviour and style bring influences and affects the behaviour of employees.
While the Human Resource Department are not involved in daily management of employees, but they
do interact with employees and bring influences behaviour through HR practices or activities. Human
Resource Department of Marks & Spencer focus on providing guidance, training and mentoring
programs so that it helps in promoting the ethical organisational culture. It also helps in preventing
employees from mis-selling. The different training and mentoring program help in protecting the bottom
line of company and also develops company in such a way that employees feel great for working and
also satisfied with it (Six ways organisations can create an ethical culture, 2016). For example, training
and mentoring program implemented by Marks & Spencer develops the workplace in such a way that it
consists of established codes for personal and professional conduct which stays in compliance with all
the governing laws and regulations of business.
It is necessary for company to implement the ethical organisational culture otherwise the
unethical behaviour may bring impacts on company’s profits as because million dollars fines are levied
on corporations that are practicing unethical behaviour (Dawson, 2018). HR aims at implementing such
practices and activities within workplace so that it can make Marks & Spencer a great place for working.
The benefits of training and mentoring of HR practices includes ethical behaviour and practices builds
best products and services, do not causes unnecessary harms and uses business for inspiring and
implementing solutions regarding the environmental practices. The ethical training and mentoring
program have specific focus and moral that is derived through a moral foundation. Marks & Spencer
ensures that training and mentoring practice of HR is grounded in central core philosophy. To achieve

great results and outcomes through ethical training and mentoring b, Marks & Spencer ensures that
program needs to:
 It helps people for understanding the ethical judgement philosophies and also heuristics of
decision-making process (Cullen, 2018).
 These HR training and mentoring program helps in addressing the various areas of ethical
concern within workplace organisation.
 This teaches employees and members about the ethical expectations and rules.
 Mentoring program assist employees for understanding their own tendencies regarding ethics.
 These programs take a realistic view while it also elaborates on problems and difficulties within
ethical decision-making process.
Constant and continuous reiteration on specific subjects for moral and ethical practices brings
effective results in form of developing the ethical mindset of employees and other members of the
organisation. Thus, it is necessary and important for having dialogue, outlining of concrete rules that
helps in defining ethical from top to bottom of business organisation (Akaah, 2018). Marks & Spencer
focus on creating effective and successful training and mentoring program that assists in building strong
learning and development group of people which has the ability for going on a long way.
There can also be some challenges and issues as well while creating or developing the training and
development program. The biggest issue or challenge or problem with regards to mentoring or training
is for identification of grey areas which may lie between wrong and right. For example, Marks & Spencer
may face issues with regards to kinds of complex information system which is used in today’s world and
that makes it complex across different geographies for dealing with different standards for data privacy,
etc. Another issues that may be faced by Marks & Spencer is that ethical practices of one culture may
be considered as unethical practices in another culture or organisation.
Rewards and recognition
Ethical behaviour of employees can be effectively developed by recognizing their efforts and also
rewarding them for the same. Marks & Spencer focuses on building and promoting ethical
organisational culture by making use of effective HR practices and activities (Hunt, Wood and Chonko,
2019). The business can get effective results and successful outcomes by rewarding ethical behaviour
and practices. Marks & Spencer may find it out-of-the-box or also find it difficult for finding for
rewarding such practices which are likely to fall under normal or general course of action. Thus,
organisation focuses on first identifying the ethical behaviour, actions and practices so that it can
effectively recognize it and rewards the employees for performing such practices.
Performance management practices of Human Resource may help in effectively recognizing and
rewarding the candidates and promoting ethical corporate culture. Rewards and recognition practices of
HR serve as an effective tool within the Marks & Spencer organisation for promoting organisational
culture that is based on the ethics (Building an ethical culture, 2019). For example, Marks & Spencer
focus on rewarding employees for their contribution and efforts according to the proposition which is
based on number the employees deliver. One more example for rewards and recognition as HR practices
can be stated as Marks & Spencer promoting ethical business culture by pushing the rewards and
recognition activities or practices so that it elevates and also boost morality of employees. Business

organisation that focus on recognising and rewarding the activities and performance of employees,
makes employees feel satisfied and also motivated for pushing such behaviour and practise.
Marks & Spencer has implemented quarterly awards that demonstrates regarding values and
norms of company, integrity and ethical practices on the part of employees. This brings great results and
outcomes for company and helps company for evolve around the ethical behaviour on the part of
employees and other members as well (Perez, 2018). Human Resource Department of Marks & Spencer
aims at identifying and recognizing the employees’ efforts towards the ethical practices and their ethical
behaviour within the organisation. And according rewards are provided to them so that such employees
and other employees also feel motivated and promotes ethical behaviour and encourages ethical
practices within workplace.
CONCLUSION
Organisational culture describes about how organisation function. Every business organisation aims
at developing organisational cultural in such a way that employees feel satisfied and motivated. Business
organisation aims at promoting the ethical behaviour and culture through promoting HR ethical
practices and activities. The different practices of HR develop effective training and mentoring program
that helps in aligning the ethical practise with the goals and objectives of employee. Another HR practice
involves rewards and recognition that may lead to bring effective results and outcomes and also
promote ethical behaviour and practices within workplace organisation. The report explains about the
different HR practices implemented and adapted by business organisations for promoting ethical
organisational culture.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The culture of the workplace effectively brings influences on the employees’ performance and their
behaviour as well (Key, 2019). In today’s competitive business environment, professional development
and growth can be achieved by reputation and brand image. It acts as an integral part for the
development of business and it can be achieved by implementing ethical practices and activities within
the workplace. Thus, Marks & Spencer needs to focus on promo0ting various HR practices that supports
and assists ethical organisational culture.
Company needs to constantly and continuously reinforce awareness regarding the ethical
behaviour and practices. Reinforcing the ethical awareness and practices can lead to bring great and
successful results for the Marks & Spencer. Company need to develop its business structure in such a
way that it makes employees to perform ethical practices and actions within the workplace and they
also tend to promote ethical behaviour (Victor and Cullen, 2018). Company can also draw clear lines that
states about the aftermath for indulging in various unethical practices or fraudulent actions. For
example, Marks & Spencer can create HR practices that focus on identifying the unethical or fraudulent
actions and taking actions against such activities. Promotion and appraisal need to be hampered if name
of employees is attached with such practices or actions. This will effectively promote the ethical
behaviour and practices on the part of employees within the workplace.

REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Akaah, I.P., 2018. Organizational culture and ethical research behavior. Journal of the Academy of
Marketing Science. 21(1). p.59.
Carlini, J. and et.al., 2019. The corporate social responsibility (CSR) employer brand process: integrative
review and comprehensive model. Journal of Marketing Management, pp.1-24.
Cullen, J.G., 2018. Work, Ethics & Organisational Life. Oak Tree Press.
Dawson, D., 2018. Organisational virtue, moral attentiveness, and the perceived role of ethics and social
responsibility in business: The case of UK HR practitioners. Journal of Business Ethics. 148(4). pp.765-
781.
Hunt, S.D., Wood, V.R. and Chonko, L.B., 2019. Corporate ethical values and organizational commitment
in marketing. journal of Marketing. 53(3). pp.79-90.
Key, S., 2019. Organizational ethical culture: real or imagined?. Journal of Business Ethics. 20(3).
pp.217-225.
Perez, J.R., 2018. An Exploration of Global Leadership: Culture, Ethics, and Conflict
Management. Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics. 15(3). pp.122-133.
Victor, B. and Cullen, J.B., 2018. The organizational bases of ethical work climates. Administrative
science quarterly, pp.101-125.
Online
Building an ethical culture. 2019. [Online]. Available through: <
https://www.peoplematters.in/article/strategic-hr/building-ethical-culture-11468 >
Six ways organisations can create an ethical culture. 2016. [Online]. Available through: <
https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/six-ways-organisations-can-create-ethical-culture/>