Bullying, Sexual Harassment and Unlawful Discrimination - Assignment Example

Report Name Tutor Course code Date Introduction It is the responsibility of every staff member to behave in a manner that his/her action does not affect the welfare of others. They should ensure that their behaviors are in alignment with the code of conduct of the University. Strict disciplinary measures will be taken upon any member of the university, who is found guilty of any form of harassment, in accordance to the Agreement of Central Queensland University Enterprise. It is the sole responsibility of supervisors to provide a conducive environment which is favorable to staff in carrying out their duties. They should be well conversant with the effects of not curbing with any form of harassment which employees may face. There are some procedures which are followed in dealing with any form of harassment and these procedures apply to all the employees, contractors and council members. Students may raise their complaints through the process provided for student complaints. This document affects different stakeholder groups in the University which include: i) Supervisors: Members of the University in the administrative roles have a duty in ensuring that sound principles of ethics given in the Code of Conduct are followed. This can be in the work-place or role models in their managerial duties. Supervisors must ensure that all new members are well informed about the code of conduct of the university and provide other ways like training and guidance if there is a need (Bandiera, 2010). ii) Employees: Since the code of conduct is part and parcel of employee’s contract, the employees should ensure that they have read and understood it and have given the consent of complying with the code and of conduct of the University. iii) Council Members: As part of their tasks and daily responsibilities, Council Members of the University and other executives of the University community will have a duty to accept and abide by the Code. Emerging Business Ethics The document addresses different issues that arise during day-to-day activities and happens when workers interact with each other, their supervisors and the top management. Social stratification in any organization whips up prejudice, pride and segregation of people in the workplace. The top managers may look down upon their juniors. This may result to the emergence of business ethics in the organization which may include: a) Workplace Harassment (Bullying): This is a repeated form of behavior seen in a person, employer or co-workers having the behavior which is undesirable and unwanted. The person is also seen to be aggressive, offensive, scary and embarrassing. Bullying at workplace does not require any reasonable action from the management but requires advice and rightful comment. Response to employees on the good work done or the anticipated behavior assists the staff in improving the level of behavior and general performance of their work. b) Sexual Harassment: Sexual harassment simply means any unnecessary, unsolicited, or undesirable behavior of a sexual nature. Incase this happens, the anticipated behavior(s), would leave the other party humiliated making the recipient upset, ashamed or demoralized by the act. Sexual harassment is illegal anywhere. c) Illegal bigotry including Racial Discrimination and criticism: This generally means any act that poses a challenge to person or does not support or has the effect of causing the misfortune to somebody. This is because of a characteristic for example, race or sex as stipulated in anti-discrimination Act. According to the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act of 1991, attributes of the sexual discrimination include; Sex, Age, pregnancy, relationship and parental status and breastfeeding. It may also include; legal sexual activity, union trade activity, disability, family responsibilities, sexuality, race and religious beliefs. Mandatory Requirements i) Value for the natural self-respect In order to foster the cohesiveness in the community, all the human beings should be treated with dignity and respect and be responsible to each other. Each one has a right to express his/her feelings, attitudes, beliefs and ideas and have their choices treated with respect. The respect accorded creates accountability as well as the responsibility to enhance the value of dignity. Members of the University will behave fairly and honestly considering other people’s dignity and obligations. ii) Respect for Others Everybody has a right to be respected and to be treated with justice and equality. In order to have an environment that practices collegiality and respect, members of the University has to maintaining an environment of respect. University members have a duty to treat members of staff, community members and students with courtesy, respect and honesty. They should also care for the needs of the other stake holders whom the members of the University interact. All the members of the University are always told not to forget that freedom to express one’s opinion. It comes with the responsibility to honor and have respect on other people’s reputations and rights. For example, a member from academic staff responding in a polite manner to questions, remarks, or requests for explanation from students in the learning environment thus avoiding reducing the dignity and criticizing behavior in any platforms related to education. A member of academic staff may receive several requests to extend the deadline of handing of the assignment. The staff member will therefore, apply the decision equally to all students. Furthermore, if a student asks for certain information with regards to a certain field, any staff member of the university should ensure that the feedback is timely, complete and accurate. iii) Dignity at Workplace CQ University, acting as a good employer, has the commitment to ensuring that everybody enjoys a right to be treated with dignity and his/her rights are respected at the workplace. Nobody shall be a victim of any form of cruelty, harassment, heartless or lowering of status and getting harsh punishment as University member. Acts of bullying, harassment or discrimination will never be accepted. The University has a commitment to prevent and stop these sorts of acts in the place of work and calls for all the people to be committed. All these sorts of acts can be so severe to the extent of causing mental and physical danger thus jeopardizing the safety of people at work. The significance of this conduct is strongly put on supervisors and managers. They are concerned with ensuring that the place of work is free from any harassment and bullying at workplace (CFA Institute, 2004). There should not be confusion of genuine advice and comments for harassment at the workplace from supervisors and managers on the performance of work or any other related Workplace harassment must not be confused with genuine comment and advice (including relevant negative comment and conduct of a group or an individual. There is a distinction between response on performance at work and harassment. Response aims at assisting a member of the staff to foster his/her work performance and level of behavior (CFA Institute, 2004). iv) Avoid Harassment Members of the University will not indulge in unacceptable behaviors which are embarrassing to others, undesirable, upsetting and disgusting since such actions may result to harassment. v) Avoid Sexual Harassment Members of the University will not take part in acts which may bring forth to undesired or uncalled for actions of a sexual nature which humiliates, offends or embarrasses, intimidates, or offends the other party. Acceptable behaviors which are agreed on, i.e. friendship, common attraction, and respect do not amount to any sexual harassment (Amir, Sougiannis, 2009). vi) Avoid Workplace Bullying Members of the University will never take part in actions that may result to bullying at the place of work. Repeated less treatment by one person to another in a workplace may lead to bullying engage in behaviors which may amount to workplace bullying and may be looked at as irrational and unsuitable as it humiliates, offends and intimidates the other person. Taking Care for a Safe place of Work Everyone is responsible for maintaining and creating a conducive and safe working and learning environment within the University. According to Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995), it is a requirement of the University to ensure that there is a safe and healthy environment for all the visitors, students and staff . This includes; provision of instructions, supervision and information that promotes healthy and safe environment. It also ensures that there is proper storage, use and handling of substances, there is a safe process and system for doing work and safety of the machine. Employees of the University are responsible in avoiding any physical danger among themselves or to others as stipulated under the Act. The responsibility of taking care of oneself is an extension of ensuring that advice or information provided with is appropriate and accurate as it is provided (CFA Institute, 2004). All the workers are therefore, required to abide by the given instructions at a place of work so as to maintain health and safety, workers are not suppose to misuse or carelessly interfere with materials provided at their places of work and follow the instructions of safety and health in the place of work. It is forbidden to use alcohol or any other illicit drugs that may interfere with the safety or performance. All the members of the University are required to attend their duties under no influence of drugs or alcohol. This could have impacts on their safety or may slow down their efficiency at work. University members are expected to report for work unaffected by alcohol, and other drugs where this could affect the safety of others or detrimentally affect the discharge of their duties. For instance, a lecturer who is lecturing in a first year subject may have a feeling that too many students have been allocated to them. The size of the lecture rooms is small and this may raise safety and health concerns. The issue may be taken to the dean of School so that other alternatives may be taken (Weiss, 2007). In another illustration, a member of staff who is working with a dangerous machine may report working under the influence of alcohol. His/her superior discusses the issue at hand with him/her in order to ensure that his/her health and safety and those of the others are maintained. Members of the University have a freedom to take part in any outdoor legal activities as long as it does not comprise of conflict of interest that may have a severe impact on the delivery of services at the University. Members of the university will always show demonstrate respect for others. Members of the university, who air their views through speaking or writing, may not be disciplined or censored (White, 2010). However, all the members of the University are made to remember that their actions and utterances may be judged. Every time they comment on something as individuals, they should be extremely careful not to use their positions in the University therefore; they should be doing so in a personal capacity. Those giving comments concerning public matters should do privately without using the name of the university or else give their identification as university members (Klein, 2002). vii) Following Professional Ethical Standards Other members of the University will be tasked to abide by the requirements or conventions during their professional work. However, the Code of conduct of the university does not limit the observance to such requirements. Non Mandatory Requirements i) Being Part of a Community of researcher Members of the university are part and parcel or contribute to the CQ community. It is the right of every member to take part actively towards the development of the community. ii) Respect Academic Freedom The University identifies that free exchange of ideas is one of the basic process in the education procedure. The members use given right to find out, to examine, to assess the spirit of academia while looking for understanding and knowledge. All members are entitled to freedom of expression irrespective of their participation in academic duty. On the other hand, the university emphasizes that freedom of expression does not give a chance to the university members to initiate, take part or disregard actions that are offensive or harmful to others (White, 2010). iii) Corporate Governance and Transparency CQ University identifies positive duty to make a contribution to the community and make quick response to issues affecting the community at large. These duties of corporate social responsibility may include promoting development and preservation of natural resources. It also contributes to the cultural, social well being and promoting education and also taking part in proper dialogue with its stakeholders through open and honest manner. iv) Showing commitment to the government Members of the University will adhere to the state regulations and laws which may include the Central Queensland University Act 1998 and any Rules of University. For instance, the University is employing students from a foreign country through the use of agents. The agent assists to ‘ease’ the technical red tape which has other hidden secrets. v) Implementing Official Policies and Decisions Members of the University are mandated to implement policies and decisions impartially and faithfully showing attention, attention and proper diligence. In case a member of the university feels aggravated about a decision that was changed in a wrong manner, they have the digression of reporting to the supervisor. For instance, a superior may require of his/her juniors to perform duties above him/her context. This therefore calls for the superior to check with the right policy so as to take appropriate measures (Revsine and Johnson 2004). Accountability and Transparency Members of the university are given different facilities and resource materials to make them deliver quality services at the university. They also have an obligation of ensuring that the assigned resources are carefully used. In order to use the resources of the University economically, all members are held responsible since every resource and the facility has its use, any use that is not specified may be seen as a misuse. For example if one needs to use the university’s resources, he/she should utilize them well so as not to upset or belittle others (White, 2010). i) Security of University Resources The members have a duty to foster sufficient security for university resources and belongings within their reach. Other long term properties like computers and laptops should be kept carefully so as to avoid any losses or damages. ii) Reduce Personal access to University Resources Workers are responsible in usage of all the resources and facilities of the institution. I order for facilities to be available for use; there should be approval from the people in charge. Furthermore, employees may have limited use of the facilities provided they use it diligently and practice proper care of the facilities (Theil, 2011). iii) Seek endorsement before Accepting external Work The institution recognizes the worth of some external work enhancing connections with the industry as well as the community. The employee may assume to do work outside the University as long as it does not hinder with their efficiency in discharging their duties. Since time in memorial, the chains of corporate governance have gone through several transitions with the aim of enhancing transparency. There has been a steady increase on laws on how to report financial issues and who should address it. The international Accounting standards among other laws have constantly been improved to report, disclose, recognize and measure information in true and fair manner (Schipper, 2007). Conclusion Corporate governance enhances the transparency although most of the discussions have focused on other matters apart from governance. There has been the absence of reason of how governance has been affected by transparency this report therefore, provides analysis and depicts on how transparency can be (Zang, 2005). We provide such analysis in this paper. We show that the level of transparency can be implicit as seen in CQ University. Increase in transparency has a lot of benefits to the entire university as it also deals on reduction of bullying and sexual harassment. Equal treatment at the place of work is also one of the benefits of transparency. 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