ORGANIZATIONAL ETHICS AND IMPACT ON EMPLOYEE MORALE AND MOTIVATION
Introduction
Managers in any organization determine how well and effective the employees perform their tasks. This is because they have a direct influence on the morale and motivation of the employees working under them (Gellermann, Frankel & Ladenson, 1990). This therefore means that, the wellbeing of any organization depends on how well the managers utilize the managerial ethics in making sure that the relationship between them and the employees working under them is good. Maintaining a friendly relationship between the employees and the managers who supervise their work is very important in ensuring that the employees are motivated and therefore they perform their tasks perfectly well with very little supervision (Nicotera & Cushman, 1992). In many cases where the relationship between the employees and their supervisors is strained and hostile, the employees’ productivity is normally not fully realized due to the fact that they are less motivated to do their work and are likely to do very little under little or no supervision. In such a situation, the wellbeing and the overall performance of the organization are normally at stake and many issues can come up in the work place (Johnson, 2007).
Organizational philosophy
Description of the Problem
Ethics in management require that the managers treat those who work under them with the respect that they deserve and also give a listening ear to their opinions as well as their problems and issues (Treviño, Butterfield & McCabe, 1998). This also means that the communication has to utilize the ethical code of conduct that governs the organization. Showing the employees that their needs as well as their welfare is given a keen interest is good enough to motivate them and make them work perfectly well (Johnson, 2007). It is very clear that every employee would love to work in an environment where they feel respected despite the kind of work that they are performing. This is because that feeling of being safe in a work place motivated them and boosts their morale leading to increased productivity in their work (Walumbwa et al, 2011).
In organization where ethics are given strict adherence to, there are less chances of eruption of rebellious incidents such as workers boycotts and even strikes that taint the image of the organization and cripple the activities of the organization. The explanation behind this existence of tranquility in such organizations is simply the fact that the employees see no need of organizing strikes and other negative incidents because they have a feeling that there needs are being catered for well (Vardi, 2001). Even if their salaries and wages are not to their satisfaction, they feel that the management treats them with a lot of understanding that helps to motivate them and give them the morale to work and like their work place and their supervisors. Therefore, there are minimal chances that such employees will stage incidents such as strikes and work boycotts in an organization.
Employees ethics
There are a number of ethical issues that help managers to improve the morale and motivation of employees in their work. Some of the examples of the ways that managers can use to motivate their employees are addressing them with respect and honor that they deserve. According to Vardi (2001), giving an employee honor and respect when speaking to him or her does not reduce any manager to nothing but instead, it makes that manager a stronger pillar for the organization with regard to the boosting of the productivity of the employees working under him or her. It is also very important for the managers and supervisors to keep issues of each and every individual employee very confidential and not share sensitive information with other employees regarding other employees. This is very important in ensuring the employees have confidence in their mangers or supervisors and therefore accord them their respect and thus make their work very easy. Employees that have confidence in their mangers are likely to work better and also work confidently and therefore produce perfect outcomes for their organization or employer (Vardi, 2001).
Keeping an ethical and professional distance between the manager and the employees is also a very important ethical issue that the managers and supervisors of any organization should be keen on to ensure proper working conditions for the employees (Walumbwa et al, 2011). The managers have to ensure that the relationships that they establish between them and the employees working under their supervision remains within the governing rules and regulations of the organization to avoid conflicts with the employees. Sexual relationships and affairs between mangers and their workers are considered very unethical and can lead to discontent among the employees with regard to fairness in the organization (Nicotera & Cushman, 1992). Some employees may start having feelings of not being given attention and priority like those who are in sexual relationships with the mangers and the employees. This will therefore lower their morale and damage their motivation to perform their tasks and hence reduce their productivity (Walumbwa et al, 2011). Furthermore, unethical behavior and misconduct on the part of the manager or supervisor in an organization is likely to create bias in compensation of efforts and awarding of the performance by employees in the organization in question. This is likely to create discontented and unhappy employees and eventually affect their effectiveness in performing their tasks and work in the organization (Vardi, 2001). It is therefore very crucial that the mangers remain professional in their interaction with the employees so as to make sure.
Fairness in allocation of tasks and promotion is another ethical issue that is tied to employee motivation and morale in their work place. How the managers and supervisors approach the whole issue of promoting their subordinates and allocating tasks has a great impact on the motivation of the employees and their morale to perform various tasks that are required of them in their work place (Johnson, 2007). If the process is done in a transparent and open manner with no biases, then the employees will feel motivated to work knowing very well that the better they perform their work and tasks the higher their chances of enjoying benefits such as promotions, increment in wages or salaries or even selection for a managerial or even supervision posts. On the other hand, in a situation where transparency lacks and the process is faced with a lot of corruption claims, then the employees tend to lack the confidence in the mangers and the supervisors to accord them their well deserved promotions transparently. This demoralizes and demotivates them and eventually reduces their productivity in their work places (Treviño et al, 1998). It is ethical to follow procedures that are transparent and acceptable to all the employees. Contrary to this is considered very unethical and can result to a lot of resistance among the employees making the work of the managers and supervisors very difficult (Vardi, 2001).
The research therefore involved finding out how ethics in an organization are linked to the employee motivation and morale in an organization. The research also involved finding out appropriate measures that managers can appropriately incorporate the managerial ethics in their management and supervision of employees to boost their morale and motivate them to perform even better in their work.
