Etihad Airways Values and Ethics Program - Case Study Example

Etihad Airways Values and Ethics Program Name Date Institution Instructor Introduction With the current global competition among different organizations, managers have realized the value played by the adoption of the most effective organizational ethics and values. Values and ethics shape the kind of leadership and behavior adopted in an organization. Adoption of the most effective organizational ethics benefits organizations by ensuring their survival and sustained performance in the competitive global market. Values and ethics shape organizations leadership styles, and management of the organizations’ resources. Therefore, adoption of the most effective organizational ethics and values enable organizations provide consumer and employee centered services alongside the adoption of value based leadership in an organization. However, managers should come up with interventions aiming at managing challenges associated with the introduction and adoption of the desired organizational values and ethics. Therefore, this essay will critically analyze ethics and values adopted by the Etihad airways organization as a method of enhancing its productivity. The essay will begin by discussing the Etihad organization overview, including its size, geographical spread, its special features, and its business sector. Additionally, the essay will analyze the ethics program (uniform treatment of the organization’s employees), standards for determining the adoption of the program and organizational performance alongside the elements of the program will be analyzed. Methods of program implementation and benefits of the program to the organization will be analyzed. Conclusively, the essay will demonstrate the importance of introducing values and ethics to an organization. Etihad organization overview Etihad Airways is one of the international flag carrier companies known globally for its provision of quality passenger transport and cargo services. The organization has its headquarters in the Abu Dhabi and operates to 86 cargo and passenger destinations globally. The organization’s areas of operation include Australia, Africa, Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. The Airways is the second largest after the Fly Emirates in the United Arab Emirates and the fourth largest in the Middle East. The kind of leadership adopted by this organization and its dedication to provision of excellent consumer services reflects its top performance as an airline organization (Etihad, 2013). The organization operates in partnership with other airline organizations to improve their performance and heighten their organization’s visibility globally. Some of the organizations that collaborate with the Etihad Airways include the Air Serbia, Virgin Australia, Aer Lingus, and Jet Airways among other global airline organizations. The organization has received various rewards in the recent past. These include the World’s Best First Class and World’s First Class catering, and Global Travel Awards among other awards. Additionally, the organization provides its customers with frequent flyer programs where the customers receive discounts for utilizing the organization’s services. Because of this, the consumers gain motivation to utilize the organization’s services whenever travelling by air hence, improved performance (Etihad, 2013). However, there have been complains of unequal treatment of the employees by the Etihad management in the recent past. This has led to rise in the staff turnover rates and provision of substandard services to the organization’s clients. This affects the organization’s performance secondary to lack of employee motivation, increased costs of recruiting new employees, and increased likelihood of decrease in the consumer demand of the organization’s services. Therefore, the organization’s top management has embarked on the introduction of ethics program that aim at ensuring uniform treatment of the organization’s employees (Etihad, 2013). Standards against which the organizational performance and efforts of adopting the program are measured Standards set by any organization in the process of program implementation influence the realization and adoption of the program (Edwards et al, 2013). Therefore, effective adoption of this program in the Etihad organization requires the establishment of an organizational ethics program for evaluating organization’s performance towards the adoption of the above program. One of the standards developed by the Etihad Airways is the organizational ethics and value standards. The organizational ethics and value standards help the organization evaluate employees and senior management compliance to the stated standards facilitating the adoption of the program (Egyedi & Blind, 2008). Additionally, the standards enable the organization evaluates executive, senior management, and employees’ commitment towards the adoption of the uniform treatment of the employees program (Project, 1996).  The ethics management standards developed enable the organization develop formal values and ethics structures. This includes ethics office within the organization where the employees and senior management officials receive ethics training and reporting structures for misconduct hence, influencing the adoption process. Moreover, the organization has developed written standards where the expected program outcomes are stated. The outcomes are communicated to all the organization’s departments and monitoring of the adoption process established (Williams, 2008). One of the expected outcomes of the program set by the organization is the reduction in the rates of misconduct within the organization resulting from unequal treatment of the employees irrespective of their positions (Guerra-López, 2008).  The organization has set an objective of ensuring that reporting among employees who are mistreated or observe misconduct in the organization increases. Through this, the employees will be motivated because of the availability of support from the organization. This leads to increased productivity and provision of quality services to their customers (Egyedi & Blind, 2008). Additionally, the organization has developed set standards upon which the organization is able to assess employees’ satisfaction. This includes satisfaction towards the efforts employed by the organization to respond to mistreating of the employees and reduction of employee exposure to conditions predisposing them to misconduct. Consequently, this has led to development of a program management tool that will enable it identify and reduce situations that compromise the adoption of the program (Edwards et al, 2013). These standards are relevant since they facilitate the adoption of the program (uniform treatment of the employees). Commitment among the employees and organization executive and senior management results in the establishment of employee fair treatment culture and realization of the organization’s goals and objectives (Project, 1996). Developing formal structures and tools for assessing the rates and reporting of misconduct among the employees promote the adoption of the program. Compliance to the above standards requires little efforts from the employees. Therefore, it becomes cost effective to the organization hence, their relevance (Etihad, 2013). Elements of the program Successful adoption of the above program in the organization is highly dependent on the elements underpinning it. The program consist of six main elements which include program policy, employees code of ethics that will facilitate its adoption, communication/awareness campaigns, employees training, supporting culture and environment, and program monitoring and accountability (Guerra-López, 2008). These elements play a vital role in ensuring that the employees act in ways that promote equal treatment of the employees. The organization has developed policies to ensure that employees behave in ways that enhance adoption of the above program. Some of the policies set by the organization to enhance equal treatment of the employees include holding employees responsible for violating the set policies, reporting cases of employee misconduct, and acting in accordance with the stated principles (Schalock & Thornton, 1988).  The organization has developed code of ethics that regulate its employees behavior in coming up with interventions that aim at enhancing equal treatment of the employees. Code of ethics play a role in guiding the staff and the employees in the organization, their behavior, principles, standards, and commitment towards the adoption of the above stated program. Through this, the organization has been able to maintain the desired ethical behavior, minimize risks secondary to employee misconduct, enhance its reputation, and enhanced organizational sustainability (Egyedi & Blind, 2008). Communication ensures that the employees conform to the stated organization regulations that aid in the adoption of the stated organizational program. Establishment of an organizational environment that promotes free communication creates employee awareness and understanding of their program expectations (Edwards et al, 2013). Additionally, the organization has ensured that employees are provided with training programs to equip them with knowledge and skills on issues related to business environment ethics. Training promotes their awareness on the importance of maintaining uniform treatment of the employees in the organization. Training reinforces the desired behavior while promoting the extinction of the undesired behaviors (Etihad, 2013). Consequently, this promotes the program through the elimination of dilemmas, challenges, and capacity building among the employees. Realization of the program objectives requires the establishment of supporting environment and culture. In response to this, the organization has embraced the use of transformational leadership, developed realistic goals, developed ethics structures, and provided incentives to the employees due to their compliance. Finally, the organization has developed monitoring and accountability programs to evaluate adoption of the program (Egyedi & Blind, 2008). Actions done to enhance the adoption of the program in the organization The organization has adopted various interventions to ensure realization of the objectives of the desired ethics program. One of the actions undertaken by the organization is communicating the desired program to all the employees in the organization irrespective of their positions. This involved the use of print media, and the internet to create employee awareness on the program (Schalock & Thornton, 1988). Additionally, the organization involved the employees in coming up with the program objectives and interventions to be adopted. Involving the employees enhances program sustainability hence, maintenance of the desired organizational behavior (Project, 1996).  Furthermore, the organization arranged for seminars within the organization for its employees. Providing the employees with training opportunities equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills required for the provision of quality services and maintenance of workplace ethics hence, equal treatment of the employees (Edwards et al, 2013). The organization also used rewards system to reinforce the program. This includes rewarding employees who report any instances of misconduct in the organization and punishing those violating the stated rules. This reinforces the desired behavior and at the same time promotes the extinction of the undesired organizational behavior (Guerra-López, 2008).  Comparison of the program to the set standards Since the adoption of the program (uniform treatment of the employees), the organization has benefited in various ways. There has been a reduction in the number of cases related to unfair treatment of the employees basing on their position and professional qualifications. This is attributed to the strict rules and consequences set in the organization to manage the vice. The employees have been committed towards embracing program’s policies to enhance to adoption process. This has led to cooperation between employees and unity in the undertaking of the organization’s activities (Williams, 2008). Consequently, the employees have been motivated at their workplace promoting their innovativeness and enhanced provision of quality customer services. Generally, the employees have been satisfied with their contributions to the organization and their recognition by the organization. Therefore, this implies realization of the standards of the program by the organization (Etihad, 2013). Comparison of the Etihad Airways performance to those of other Airline organizations It should be recognized that Etihad Airways faces stiff competition from other airline organizations such as the Fly Emirates and Air Canada. Uniform treatment of the employees and provision of services motivate the employees in these industries contributing to their excellent performance. Therefore, the adoption of this program in the Etihad Airways will contribute to its competitiveness and heightened visibility secondary to the provision of high quality services to the clients and employee motivation and job satisfaction (Etihad, 2013). Because of this program, the organization’s productivity is estimated to increase from 11.5% in the year 2012 to 11.9% by the end of the year 2013. This implies that there will be an increase in the number of consumers utilizing the organization’s services increasing its productivity and consumer loyalty. Consequently, the organization will maintain its current competitiveness in the airline market secondary to the reduction in the employee turnover rates due to their motivation and job satisfaction (Project, 1996). Therefore, the organization will improve its competitiveness while increasing its productivity hence, outdoing some of the airline organizations in competition with the Etihad Airways (Schalock & Thornton, 1988). Reflection on the program evaluation Ethics programs play a great role in influencing the performance of an organization. The programs shape the nature of services provided and employee behavior in an organization. It is evidently clear that the introduction of the above programs has benefited the organization in many ways. It has led to reduction in the employee turnover rates, enhanced consumer loyalty, enhanced organization’s competitiveness, and provision of quality services to the consumers (Project, 1996). The success of this program is reflected by the organization’s efforts in involving the employees and the consumers in designing the program and establishing of the interventions. The organization also developed practical, attainable, and realistic objectives. The program’s success is also linked to the organization’s ability to develop effective methods for monitoring and evaluating the program (Etihad, 2013). Therefore, the report shows that organizations success largely depends on the adoption of the most effective programs and strategies for the program implementation. References Edwards, J. E., Raju, N. S., & Scott, J. C. (2003). The human resources program-evaluation handbook. Thousand Oaks, Calif. [u.a.: SAGE. Egyedi, T. M., & Blind, K. (2008). The dynamics of standards. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Etihad airways. (2013). S.l.: Book On Demand Ltd. Guerra-López, I. (2008). Performance evaluation: Proven approaches for improving program and organizational performance. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Project Management Institute. (1996). Principles of project management: Collected handbooks from the Project Management Institute. Upper Darby, Pa: Project Management Institute. Schalock, R. L., & Thornton, C. V. D. (1988). Program evaluation: A field guide for administrators. New York: Plenum Press. Williams, M. (2008). The principles of project management. Collingwood, Vic: Sitepoint. Read More