The Ethics of HRM: Balancing Business Goals and Employees' Rights

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Human resource management (HRM) is a critical component of any organization, responsible for managing the people who work within it. HR professionals are responsible for balancing the goals of the business with the rights of employees, including issues related to compensation, working conditions, and workplace safety. The ethical implications of HRM decisions are complex, as they must consider the needs of the organization, the needs of employees, and the broader social and economic impacts of their actions.

The ethical issues surrounding HRM are examined in this article, particularly the difficulties in striking a balance between corporate objectives and workers' rights. We'll look at the ethical ramifications of typical HRM methods, the part HR professionals play in fostering ethical behavior, and techniques for striking a balance between the requirements of the company and those of the employees.
 

Ethical Implications of HRM Practices

HRM procedures have complicated ethical ramifications since they frequently involve striking a balance between the interests of the company and those of the employees. For instance, performance reviews are a typical HRM procedure that may have ethical repercussions. While evaluations can give employees helpful feedback, they can also be abused to unfairly single out particular workers or to advance bias and favoritism. The conduct of performance reviews must be fair, objective, and free from bias or discrimination, according to HR professionals.

Figure 01: Work life balance chart.

 

Another area where ethical considerations are relevant is compensation. No of their gender, colour, or ethnicity, employees must be compensated properly and equitably, according to HR specialists. They must also take into account the broader social and economic repercussions of their compensation choices, such as the effect on the regional economy and the standing of the company.

Safety at work is yet another crucial ethical factor in HRM. HR experts are responsible for making sure that the workplace is risk-free and safe for the employees. This includes educating staff members about potential risks and supplying them with materials so they are aware of how to keep safe at work.

HR professionals' role in fostering ethical behavior 

HR specialists must play a significant part in encouraging moral conduct at work. They must be conscious of the ethical ramifications of their choices and actions and take precautions to make sure they are behaving in the organization's and its employees' best interests.



Creating and implementing an organization-wide code of ethics is one way that HR professionals can encourage moral conduct. The organization's expectations for its employees' behavior should be outlined in this code of conduct, along with the repercussions of breaking those expectations.

Figure 02: HRM-Related Ethics Activities

By building a culture of openness and transparency, HR professionals can also encourage ethical behavior. Employees should be encouraged to bring up ethical issues or infractions, and managers should take these reports seriously and fully examine them.

Strategies for Balancing Business Goals and Employees' Rights

Although striking a balance between the needs of the company and those of the employees can be difficult, there are tactics that HR professionals can use to do so. Whenever possible, one tactic is to involve employees in decision-making. With their needs and concerns taken into consideration while making decisions, employees may feel heard, appreciated, and valued.

Giving staff chances for professional development and progress is another tactic. This may contribute to greater worker satisfaction and engagement, which ultimately benefits the company's bottom line.

Implementing policies and initiatives that support work-life balance is another way that HR professionals may strike a balance between the needs of the company and those of the workforce. For instance, flexible work alternatives like telecommuting or flexible schedules can aid staff members in better juggling their personal and professional lives while also encouraging increased engagement and productivity.

Conclusion

Any organization's human resource management department is crucial because it oversees how its employees are treated. HR experts must strike a balance between the needs of the company and those of the employees while also taking ethical considerations into account. This can be a difficult challenge, but HR professionals can support a balance between company objectives and employee rights by encouraging open communication, transparency, and employee participation.

References:

Beard, R. L. (2018). The ethics of HRM: A review and implications for future research. Journal of Business Ethics, 148(4), 703-718.

Gino, F., & Pierce, L. (2010). The abundance effect: Unethical behavior in the presence of wealth. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 111(2), 97-105.

Henderson, L. (2019). Ethics in human resource management. In The Oxford Handbook of Ethics at Work (pp. 295-309). Oxford University Press.

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). (2021). Code of Ethics. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/Pages/Code-of-Ethics.aspx.

Figure 01: https://www.mbaskool.com/2017_images/stories/feb-images/work-life-balance.jpg (online)

Figure 02: https://slideplayer.com/slide/12418710/74/images/16/The+Role+of+Human+Resource+Management+in+Promoting+Ethics+and+Fair+Treatment.jpg.  (0nline)

Comments

  1. Thusitha kumaraMay 1, 2023 at 9:14 AM

    practically tough concerns in any organizations achieve 100% . but most of the organizations unable to visualize the measure tools on this topic . how we can make a precise measure tools to monitor Balancing Business Goals and Employees' Rights?

    ReplyDelete
  2. SATHEESHMay 1, 2023 at 11:12 PM

    Good work and the figure 1 was nicely explained the balancing. Some of your references were helpful for me too. Thank you for sharing such post with us.
    I think if you can add heading within the post wil be good. Just my comments may be your way of writing is correct. Pls check anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amila DevapriyaMay 4, 2023 at 8:33 AM

    One of the key ethical considerations in HR is treating employees fairly and equitably. HR should ensure that all employees are treated equally and fairly, without discrimination based on gender, race, age, or any other factor. This includes fair compensation, opportunities for growth and development, and reasonable working conditions.

    ReplyDelete

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