Ethics and HRM - Literature review Example

Human Resource Management and Ethics] [Name] [Course] [Lecturer] [Date] Introduction In every organization, there are operations. These operations must be staffed so that they can achieve their aims in the organization. Bringing people into the organization and making sure that they are productive in the enterprise and most importantly they are satisfied is an important role. For any organization to be successful and meet its obligation of a good employer, it must seek to secure the staff commitment, develop and manage staff so that they can give their best in the work places. This is where human resource management comes in to support the organization in all these (Boxall & Purcell 2000. P.200) In simple terms, human resource management stands for the policies and systems that are influential to the staff behavior, attitude and performance to the competitive advantage of the entire organization. The ever changing customer’s expectations and competition means that, the task of managing the workforce better is of great importance. This is due to the fact that, it is the staff that performs and delivers the services, and therefore it is through the emphasis on staff management that a performance oriented culture will develop. As mentioned above, many organizations are under pressure from their competitors. Innovation and ability to make drastic changes so as to respond to the market needs and demands is of vital importance. Effective human resource management is responsible for this; i.e. the achievement of the goals falls squarely on the shoulders of the human resource. This is because it is involved in managing people or utilizing human resources better so that the organization can gain a competitive advantage (Palazzo, Scherer & Andreas George 2008. P. 774). There are challenges that have marred human resource management in the recent past varying form international social and economic changes and the ever increasing changes. The recent global financial crisis was a very good example of a situation whereby HRM function had to show case leadership in managing potential workers reductions while still attracting and retaining talented workforce for business to continue. At the moment, many businesses where struggling in managing skill shortages (Rudd et al 2007. P. 50), the economic havoc raised more eyebrows. According to corporate leadership (2008.p 15), the organizations which avoided reactionary approaches to HRM and managed to maintain the morale of the skilled employees in the stage of laying down many workers would make it through the crisis and remain strong. This crowns it all by stating that, HRM is the organization’s custodian of the people and plays a big role in development of human resource planning (HRP) initiatives that match the changes in the supply and labor demand and most importantly manage initiatives to retain and attract talent strategically and not reactively. Human resource management practices involve ethical considerations so that the psychological and social contracts between employee and their employers can be positively maintained. The management of humans as a form of resource risks the humanness, dignity, rights and liberty of those who are being managed. It goes without saying that, HRM has bountiful challenges for they are involved in managing the people running in the organization. For instance, it is involved in firing and lying off decisions so that they can improve the performance of the entire organization. In HRM, there are losers and there are winners in each practice, those who get the job, or receive benefits and those who don’t. This sector calls for procedural justice for it is an ethically challenged task such as firing someone, delivering negative feedback and denying bonuses which apparently cause pain and discomfort to another person in the name of the greater good Human relation professionals are expected to act as ethical stewards. They are expected to move the practice a level higher which is admirable to many on the grounds of ethical awareness, knowledge of ethical theories and how they should be applied in the HRM practice. This implies that, today’s HR professionals are able to work. Critical Discussion How about the notion HRM being ethical or unethical? Borrowing facts from the Kantian theory it’s fascinate how this can be true and false in regard to human resource management practices. Immanuel Kant acknowledges that actions resulting from desires cannot be free. He went ahead to state that, whatever is demanded by reason must be demanded of all rational beings and therefore rational actions cannot be based on a single individual’s personal desires, but it is something that one can wish to be a universal law. Kant contributed to ethics in many ways especially in his insistence that our actions possess moral worth only when we do our duty for its own sake. When HRM practices are dedicated to the duty itself, then it is ethical but according to Kant theory, it happens only when human beings are treated as people and not tools or instruments (Greenwood 2002, p. 272). He introduces this idea as something accepted by our common morality. In insisting that this idea is central top the common moral consciousness, Kant was expressing in heightened form a tendency of Judea-Christian ethics and revealing how the western ethics consciousness since the existence of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Kant was very much opposed to those who see benevolent/sympathetic feelings as a basis of morality. His ethics were based on his distinction between hypothetical and categorical imperatives. They must apply to all rational beings, regardless of their feeling and wants (Meisinger 2007.p.11). This means that HRM acts ethically so that they can generate more businesses form the improved public confidence and employee’s commitment and thus this implies that HRM is ethical. A moral law applying to all rational beings irrespective of their personal wants and desires could have no specific goals or aims simply because such aims would have to be based on someone wants or desires. Kant also strongly believed in that ethical reasoning should be concentrated on activities that are rationally motivated and should utilize precepts that apply universally in all human actions. In this case, when customers perceive that the practices in the organization are ethical, then the employees are also ethical and this will enhance loyalty which will result to increased profitability. This is stated in his words that it is impossible to conceive anything at all in the world and mostly that which can be taken as good without its qualification except a good will. The only way these can be summed up to be good or worthwhile is an action of the will freely motivated for the right reasons (Meisinger 2007.p.13). Throughout the theory there is the use of moral values which help the HRM practices in being intelligent and consistent. This is due to the fact that moral values influence the problem identification, definitions and settlement, mostly in the use of values like caring, honesty, responsibility, promises, loyalty, impartiality, integrity, respect and citizenship. However, doing moral deeds can be based on a wrong motive of self interest that has nothing to do with morality at all, deeds are only ethical when they conform to the law which is not grounded on perception. This therefore means that ethical HRM practices and the drive to ethical action is what determines whether the practice is ethical or not and by using ethics to influence the market is a motive that is self centered and aimed and fulfilling one’s interests and therefore it is unethical. The most important notion for Kant was that of intentionality. It might well be that the outcome of an act leads to very bad consequences for people. In connection to this, the closure of a certain workplace and the subsequent loss of jobs, if one’s aims and intentions are good, then the act is a moral one and therefore ethical. However, as mentioned above, the intention of applying ethics in HRM may be self motivated and therefore make it unethical (Storey 2002.p. 240). The whole Kant theory has rules that need to be followed by those involved in decision making in the human resource management. First, they should avoid and prevent harm to others and help those who are in need, not lie or cheat, respect the rights of others, keep promises and contracts, obey the law, be fair and finally encourage all the other people to follow these entire principles. In this case, the HRM practices are considered ethical for they are tied around the common good of all. However, there are some instances when the human resource practices fall short of Kant’s categorical imperative. This is contributed by that fact that HRM is involved in handling work related issues and the organizations operations. They are therefore supposed to have the entire organization in the professional operations (Kramar et al 2011. P. 542). However, the practices are aimed considering both the employee’s relations and the organizational relations too. Through the business contexts, there are policies that are followed by even the human resources managers whereby every one should behave towards our fellow human beings with the overriding objective of extracting added value. When this happen, then the entire practice is unethical. A strict look at the Kant theory, it goes without saying that he requires people to be treated with dignity as ends in themselves. However, human resources management suggests that people are ends to means, individual part of a system to be deployed wherever appropriate and the moved else where as soon as they are no longer required (Storey 2002.p. 238). It goes ahead to suggest that good working conditions is a means to generating good outcomes for the company, rather than because of any intrinsic value in the staff. This apparently puts the human resource management in a problematic position for any ethical perspective (Williams 2005.p. 144). Having that in very organization, there are policies set to be followed by all including the human resource management, Kant theories seems to be implying that such acts are unethical. This is because, as Kant puts it, wisdom and skills in judgment, can never be reduced to a book of rule. There is a need to put judgment in applying the rules. This therefore insinuates that, when some judgments are made regarding the management of people, then, it may result to being an unethical practice entirely (Greenwood 2002, p. 270). Kant theory is concerned with selecting the morality correct act which is supposed to be carried out and done just because it is right. However, when doing this the consequences are not considered. This is because, what actual consequences would be if we perform certain actions does not enter into the process by which one in determining rightness to all? Good character was laudable considering the Kant theory. However, he is entirely concerned that the properties and constitutes good character, without a good will to correct them, and this could lead to bad outcomes. For instance, courage and perseverance can be misused without the force of good will. He clearly state that one should act in the line of obligation to the moral law irrespective of any relationship that might have an outcome such as eudemonia. The HRM is aimed at helping the organization meet its goal while also directed at ensuring that the working environment is safe and secure. . Kant clearly state that, reason is autonomous which means that one is free to choose and if one does so according to reason, then one shall conform to the moral law. In other words, if reason completely determined the will, then the action would take place in accordance to the rule. This does not imply that individuals have or make their own rules but the laws that bind them in some sense derive from their own making. This makes human resource management unethical in some way but still gives chance to a rise of ethical dilemmas (Klikauer 2010, p.7). People unlike things should never be used. Their value should never be a means to our ends; they are ends themselves. In human resource perspective, a human being might be a useful means to an end, but that person must always be treated with respect. Kant supports this due to his belief that people are rational and that this gives them absolute value. This makes people unique in the natural world and therefore it is the duty of all to give every person consideration, respect and dignity (Brown 2003, p. 21). It’s put clearly to the human resource management that, as they go about the business of managing people, they should do so with according all due respect to all and most importantly in allowing then to enjoy every bit of their human rights. Conclusively, he states that there must not all agree on some rule, but must logically be able to will that they be made universal. Implying that, one should do to others as they would want them to do to them. If you can not will that everyone follow the same rule, then that rule is not a moral one. Therefore, when human resource practices are agreed by all regardless of the results, then they are ethical (Klikauer 2010,p.15). HRM and ethics are two inseparable entities. Companies use HRM to as an avenue to their success in recruiting and motivating people who are able to respond to and shape the challenges of the future. There are standards, values, morals and ethics in most cases affect the human resource management for they are the ones making decisions that will affect people’s jobs and the future employment. People matter a lot in the success of the business (Goodstein 2000, p.815). The competence of the company depends on the ability of people to network, partner and to innovate. This calls for exemplarily good treatment and motivation of the entire workforce and this lies squarely on the laps of the human resource management for the case of remuneration, motivation and recognition and most importantly capturing developing and retaining talented individuals (Klikauer 2010, p. 34). In many organizations, more competitive advantage has diminished, productivity lost and more time wasted by incompetent handling of normal human interactions in the workplace. HRM is brought in the scene to blend management and employee needs. This being the case, ethics influence the performance of the workforce and in the other hand increases the output to the competitive advantage of the company (Marlow 2002, p. 35). On the other hands, HR creates a culture of ethics and instills it into the lives of the workers who on the other hand influence the society. When an organization advocates for ethics, this will be felt even in the societies where its employees come from. Therefore human resource management and ethics in an organization has positive impacts on the same in regard to performance and behavior as well as in the society at large (Wang et al 2005, p.430). Conclusion Ethics and human resources go hand in hand for there is the involvement of the management of people. People should be managed ethically irrespective of the levels. This is because an organization solely relies on the performance of the workforce it has for the meeting of its goals. This calls for motivation and development of skills in talented individual and this is enhanced by the human resource management which applies ethics in its practices making sure that both the organization and the people are satisfied with any decision. Organizations are bound by the law to treat people they employ fairly and not discriminate any group. Legislation is an accepted moral principle which acts to favor all for it call s for the greatest good of the greatest number. Organization must cease from treating people like machines or as objects that need to be used to achieve goals. This is because, the set legal requirements does not guarantee best treatment of employees Human resource practices which should be ethical so as to be of a good to all fall under principles of ethical and professional standards so that they can be said to be agreeable to all. In other words the human resource management should revolve around professional responsibility which states that the practice should be directed to adding value to the organization and that one is responsible for decisions and actions he/she indulges in and therefore credibility and value is highly called for. Then professional development is another principle that ethically binds the practice. In this case, there must be striving to meet the highest standard of competence and commitment to strengthen the competencies on a continuous basis to the good of all. Human relation management practices must exhibit individual leadership as role models for maintaining the highest conduct of ethical conduct. But this, the human resources management should lead from the front all cases that govern the workforce in the organization and that they must comply to the law that states that ethical considerations should be vital in any organization. HRM practices call for fairness and just so that they can be seen as ethical. HR is ethically responsible for promoting and fostering fairness for all employees and justice for all employees and their organization. Finally, human resource management and ethics are very important in an organization and the practice should work towards maintaining a high level trust with the stakeholders and their interests should be protected and professional integrity enhanced whereby professionals shun activities that create actual, apparent or potential conflicts of interests. Reference Brown, D., 2003, From Cinderella to CSR, PeopleManagement, Vol. 9, No. 16, p. 21. Boxall, P., F., J., Purcell, 2000, Strategic HRM: Where have we come from and where should we be going? International Journal of Management Reviews 2(2): 183–203. Corporate Leadership Council (2008) HR Quarterly Trends Report, Q4 – 2008., Catalogue Number CLC2456755. Arlington, VA: CLC. Greenwood, M., R., 2002, Ethics and HRM: are view and conceptual analysis, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 261–278. 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