Solving Workplace Ethical Issues: A Case Study Analysis

This assignment presents a case study centered around ethical issues in the workplace, specifically focusing on a conflict between two employees, Joanne and Bill. The analysis explores two primary approaches to resolve the ethical dilemma. The first approach emphasizes direct communication and discussion between the involved parties, promoting empathy and understanding of differing perspectives, moral values, and ethical beliefs to foster a collaborative resolution. The second approach involves reporting the unethical behavior to the organization's ethics helpline, which may lead to disciplinary measures, and ensuring a conducive working environment. The document references scholarly articles to support the proposed solutions, highlighting the importance of organizational policies and national laws in harmonizing ethical and cultural diversity within the workplace. The overall goal is to offer practical strategies for addressing and resolving ethical conflicts, promoting ethical leadership, and creating a positive work environment.

Running Head: ETHICAL ISSUES 1
Solving Ethical Issues
By
University Affiliation
Date

ETHICAL ISSUES 2
This assignment is based on case study 2 that involves Joanne, Bill, and I.
The case of Joanne and Bill is an issue that relates to workplace ethics. The issue can be
solved using two approaches. The first approach will involve discussing the issue with parties
involved. Suhonen, Stolt, Virtanen, & Leino-Kilpi (2011) records that difference in personality,
moral values, cultural, and ethical believes highly contributes to unethical conduct in the
workplace. Thus, what one person considers to be ethical maybe totally unethical to another
person. Bill feels offended by Joanne while Joanne thinks that what she is doing is right and in
the best interest of Bill.
Through discussing the issue with both Bill and Joanne, they both will have a chance to
express themselves. Bill will express his oppression and Joanne will explain why she behaves in
such a way. This will highly help in understanding the values that are highly prioritized by each
party and promote empathy among the two parties (Resick, Hargis, Shao, & Dust, 2013). I will
then guide them into coming up with terms that will guide how they relate with each other in
order to avoid such kind of behavior again. The approach would easily solve the problem without
offending any party.
In case Joanne does not stop her behavior after using the first approach above, then I
would move to the second approach. The approach is reporting Joanne to the organization’s
ethics helpline. This would involve disclosing about the previous approach so that it can form a
foundation for resolving the issue. Murphy (2019) records that in solving ethical dilemmas, there
is need to know the parties who have a right to make a decision regarding the ethical issue.
Therefore, the very first step in this approach would be to do discuss with Bill about the
suitability of the approach in order to gain his consent to proceed with it.

ETHICAL ISSUES 3
Vardaman, Gondo, & Allen (2014) argues that the national law and organization’s policy
act as a unifying factors that harmonize the ethical and cultural diversity in an organization. The
organization’s team responsible for handling ethical issues would, therefore, use various
guidelines such as the country’s law and organization’s policy to resolve the matter. This
approach would result to disciplinary measures being taking against Joanne. Thus, discouraging
her from engaging in such a behavior again. Bill would consequently get a conducive working
environment.

ETHICAL ISSUES 4
References
Murphy, K. (2019). Resolving Ethical Dilemmas - National Association of Social Workers.
Retrieved from https://www.naswma.org/page/114
Resick, C. J., Hargis, M. B., Shao, P., & Dust, S. B. (2013). Ethical leadership, moral equity
judgments, and discretionary workplace behavior. Human Relations, 66(7), 951-972.
Suhonen, R., Stolt, M., Virtanen, H., & Leino-Kilpi, H. (2011). Organizational ethics: a literature
review. Nursing Ethics, 18(3), 285-303.
Vardaman, J. M., Gondo, M. B., & Allen, D. G. (2014). Ethical climate and pro-social rule-
breaking in the workplace. Human Resource Management Review, 24(1), 108-118.