MGT301A Report: Ethical Workplace Behaviour Analysis

This report delves into ethical workplace behavior, addressing key issues and ethical frameworks within an organizational context. It begins with an executive summary, followed by an introduction that defines ethical behavior and its importance. The core of the report analyzes ethical issues, such as bullying and financial misconduct, within the context of the Coles Group, applying ethical frameworks like the Justice Approach and Duties Approach. The report reflects on future workplace behavior, emphasizing the role of senior management in fostering a positive and ethical environment. It discusses the importance of providing support to new employees, implementing investigation processes, and ensuring transparency in financial practices. The report concludes by reiterating the significance of ethical frameworks and the need for organizations to prioritize ethical conduct to maintain integrity and a healthy workplace culture.

Running head: ETHICAL WORKPLACE BEHAVIOUR
Ethical Workplace Behaviour
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

1ETHICAL WORKPLACE BEHAVIOUR
Executive Summary
The primary purpose of this report is to discuss about the issues and the ethical framework
that can help the employees in staying ethical in the organization. The report also reflects
about the future workplace behaviour and how the behaviour of the senior management can
have an impact on the conduct of the employees.

2ETHICAL WORKPLACE BEHAVIOUR
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Summary of issues and the frameworks associated with it........................................................3
Reflection on future workplace behaviour.................................................................................3
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6
References:.................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
Ethical Behaviour refers to the behaviour which is appropriate within the
organization. Ethical behaviour helps in indicating the right manner of behaving and it helps
an individual in choosing the right path. Ethical behaviour is suggestive of the conduct which
is beyond any reproach and it is based on the standard of the society (Valentine, Hollingworth
& Schultz, 2018) This report focusses on certain ethical issues within an organisation and the
ethical frameworks associated with these issues. This report highlights on the future
workplace behaviour and how the organisational culture can have an influence on my
behaviour.
Summary of issues and the frameworks associated with it
The issues that has been discussed in Part A of the assignment relates to social ethics
in the organization Coles. The new employees who used to join the organization were ill-
treated by the senior employees that destroyed the morale of the new people joining the
organization. The bullying of the new employees went against the ethical consideration
because moral ethics states that all the employees should be treated in the equal manner in the
organization. The Justice Approach is the ethical framework that can help in finding solution
to the ethical issue. Another issue that has been discussed in Part A of the organization is
that the accountants tamper with the accounting books so that it reflects false profit (Culiberg
& Mihelič, 2016). It can spoil the relationship between investor, customer and the
stakeholders. The duties approach is the ethical framework that can be applied to this issue
because it is the duty of a company of presenting fair financial statements for maintaining
integrity within the organization.

4ETHICAL WORKPLACE BEHAVIOUR
Reflection on future workplace behaviour
In my future workplace, I shall lend a helping hand to the new employees that can
help the new employees in adjusting successfully in the organization. The justice approach
states that everyone has the right to be treated on equal terms in the organization and bullying
goes against the ethical norms in the organization. I shall provide one-on-one support to the
new employees and make them learn about the company policies so that they can report in
case of bullying or any other kind of unethical behaviour. Trust should be built from the
beginning that can provide the new employees with support that can reduce the stress of the
new employees within an organization. I shall abide by the justice approach and help the new
employees in adjusting to the culture of the company. I shall assign a mentor to the new
employee that can help him in understanding his responsibilities in the organization
(Mitonga-Monga & Cilliers, 2016). The senior management should review the policies of the
company for ensuring that the employees respect one another within the workplace. They
should be capable of providing easy communication channel that can help the new employees
in reporting about any incidence of harassment in the company.
I think that the senior management should implement an investigation process that can
help in the evaluation of any kind of reported incident. The disciplinary policy should be
universal for the instigators of bullying that can help the new employees in easily adjusting in
the organization. There should be a Harassment Contact Officer where the new employees
who have been the victim of bullying should report that can help in the promotion of a
healthy workplace culture (Al-Saggaf, Burmeister & Weckert, 2015). The senior
management in the organization should ensure commitment in the workplace and they should
not tolerate the unacceptable behaviour in the organization that can help in taking care of the
fact that the justice approach have been abided by in the organization. The organizational
process called socialisation can be used that can help the new employees in adjusting to the

5ETHICAL WORKPLACE BEHAVIOUR
organisational culture. The supervisors and the co-workers in the organization should support
the new employees that can ensure the fact that they can feel comfortable in the organization
(Tormo-Carbó, Seguí-Mas & Oltra, 2016).
It is important that the professional accountants should act in a responsible manner
and review the sensitive financial information that can help the organization in working along
ethical lines. I shall take care of the fact that I do not deceive the financial information and
abide by the code of the ethics in the company. Accountants have great responsibility for the
clients and any kind of breach on the part of the accountant can be detrimental for the
reputation of the organization (Alleyne, Hudaib & Haniffa, 2018.)The accountant should
ensure the fact that the financial records comply with the accepted procedure at corporate
level. I shall maintain the financial database in a transparent manner that does not jeopardise
the reputation of the company.
The senior management should ensure the fact that significance of any threat is
detected at the initial stage and appropriate safeguards should be put in place that can
eliminate threat in relation to accountancy in an organization. The senior management in an
organization should demonstrate with the help of their directives and actions that the
accountants stay ethical in the organization. The senior management should ensure that
processes have been put in place that can evaluate performance of the individuals in the
organization.
The behaviour of the employee is conditioned by the structure and the policies of the
organization. The organizational culture should be able to adapt to the external changes and it
should ensure integrity in the organization with the help of its objectives and goals. The
organizational culture should be developed based on strong ethical principles that can become
a competitive advantage for an organization (West, 2018). The accountants in the

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organization should abide by the ACCA code of the ethics that can help to maintain the fact
that the accounts behave in an ethical manner within the organization. The organizations
should be instrumental in publishing the ethical guidelines that can take care of the fact that
the accountants behave in the ethical manner in the company.
Conclusion
The justice and the duties approach should be abided by the employees in an
organization that can help employees in working on ethical grounds. The new employees in
an organization should be provided with extensive support that can help them in adjusting
within the new cultural environment. The financial databases should be maintained in a
transparent manner by the accountants that can maintain the element of integrity in the
organization.

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References:
Alleyne, P., Hudaib, M., & Haniffa, R. (2018). The moderating role of perceived
organisational support in breaking the silence of public accountants. Journal of
Business Ethics, 147(3), 509-527.
Al-Saggaf, Y., Burmeister, O., & Weckert, J. (2015). Reasons behind unethical behaviour in
the Australian ICT workplace: An empirical investigation. Journal of Information,
Communication and Ethics in Society, 13(3/4), 235-255.
Culiberg, B., & Mihelič, K. K. (2016). Three ethical frames of reference: insights into M
illennials' ethical judgements and intentions in the workplace. Business Ethics: A
European Review, 25(1), 94-111.
Mitonga-Monga, J., & Cilliers, F. (2016). Perceived ethical leadership: Its moderating
influence on employees’ organisational commitment and organisational citizenship
behaviours. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 26(1), 35-42.
Tormo-Carbó, G., Seguí-Mas, E., & Oltra, V. (2016). Accounting ethics in unfriendly
environments: The educational challenge. Journal of business ethics, 135(1), 161-175.
Valentine, S. R., Hollingworth, D., & Schultz, P. (2018). Data-based ethical decision making,
lateral relations, and organizational commitment: Building positive workplace
connections through ethical operations. Employee Relations.
West, A. (2018). After virtue and accounting ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 148(1), 21-
36.