Employees are a significant group of stakeholders in an organization. As at-will employment and outsourcing become more common in the business world, many employees who once trusted their employers and expected lifetime employment have been shocked by the lack of relationship between themselves and their employer. At the same time, employers argue that they have never paid more for benefits or been more accountable for their behavior toward employees. In this unit, you will address some difficult issues within the changing workplace all of which speak to our personal and professional ethical boundaries.
To what extent does an organization demonstrate the ethics it espouses? What contributes to the ethical framework of a company's operation? Are values statements real, and are people held accountable to them? What role does organizational culture play in guiding ethical behavior? Should values dominate an organization's culture? How do leaders contribute to the ethical profile of an organization? How can organizational structures create support or vulnerability with operating in an ethically sound manner?