Ethical Considerations in the Workplace
 

            Ethics plays a significant role in organizational communication, especially as it relates to the focus of my project: building trust through gathering feedback and taking action. Harden Fritz (2013) defines ethics as “how we apply standards of right and wrong in daily life, how we think about and make choices regarding various actions that could be considered good or bad” (p. 39). There are numerous decisions individuals must make in the workplace based on their personal ethical standards and opinion of right and wrong. An individual’s personal values can differ from others, which can impact how people make an ethical decision. Each decision made can greatly impact relationship building with peers and thus, impact development of trust. The act of giving feedback, as well as the act of receiving the feedback have ethical implications.

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            When providing feedback to others, the giver must decide whether to speak on certain topics. Harden Fritz (2013) writes that “our decisions about elements of the workplace to highlight or ignore are ethical choices – we choose whether to speak or be silent…in each case, consequences follow” (p. 50). When someone comes forward with feedback that involves others on the team or within the management chain, the consequences they could face include alienating the other people and creating a hostile work environment. If the feedback involves a situation where there was any wrongdoing such as a physical safety or psychological safety issue and the giver chooses not to say anything, they can be “complicit in unethical action” (Harden Fritz, p. 50). The giver must make the determination to speak up on the things they value including an improved workplace culture, improvement on pay, training, development opportunities, and other topics that leadership may not be privy to. It is also important for the giver to provide truthful, honest feedback to the receiver. Harden Fritz (2013) highlights the importance of truth-telling stating “truth-telling…is a universal perception for what one ought to do in any situation” (p. 43). The specific feedback should be factual based on data or personal experiences, and not based on hearsay. Telling the truth is not only the correct, ethical choice; it is also an important element of trust building. If the truth is not being told, the receiver could question the givers ethical values and integrity.

Harden Fritz (2013) explores several ethical communication approaches. One of the key approaches is the dialogic approach, which “includes a commitment to learning and listening, knowing one’s own position, and being open to the positions of others” (p. 43).  When soliciting others for feedback, the receiver must take a dialogic ethics approach to listen, learn, and be open to all feedback being provided, whether it is positive or negative. This approach can be critical in one’s ability to build working relationships and develop trust. The giver needs to feel the receiver has created an open environment to facilitate the ability to be transparent. It is important for leaders, along with others in the room, to feel they are being heard, their feedback is being valued, and treated with a level of confidentiality. If employee feedback is treated properly, this can lead to creating improved trust in the workplace; however, if employee feedback is not treated in a respectful and ethical manner, trust can breakdown very quickly.   Leaders set the stage for workplace culture and overall, organizational productivity. Gini and Green (2004) writes “leaders help to set the tone, develop the vision, and shape the behavior of all those involved in organizational life” (p. 34). A leader must lead by example by making decisions based on ethical principles because “practicing communication ethics contributes to a climate of integrity in the workplace, fostering and ensuring both personal and institution flourishing” (Harden Fritz, p. 44). When leaders act on the feedback received and the teams see the changes implemented, it can lead to an improved workplace culture and promote continued focused on speaking up.

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            Gathering feedback and taking action is an important way to build trust in the workplace. Both givers and receivers have to reflect on ethics in every step of the process. Givers should lead with truth-telling and vulnerability. Receivers should lead with dialogic ethical approach principles and making decisions in alignment with business needs and objectives. Ethics are present in every step of the feedback process, from the initial solicitation of feedback to the feedback loop once actions have been taken and completed.

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References

Gini, A. & Green, R. M. (2014). Moral leadership and business. In J. Cuilla (Ed.), Ethics, the heart of leadership (p.             32-52). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.

 

Harden Fritz, J. M. (2013). Ethics matters: Why ethical communication makes a difference in today’s workplace.             In J. Wrench (Ed.), Workplace communication for the 21st century: Tools and strategies that impact the bottom            line (p. 39-60).  Bloomsbury Publishing USA.

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