HRM Contribution to Organizations and Society: HRM and Ethics - Coursework Example

HRM Contribution to Organizations and Society: HRM and Ethics Human Resource Management (HRM) is defined as a process which looks towards managing the work force in the organization in an effective way (Deckop and Deckop, 2006). Human resource for a business consists of employees, associations, new and old recruits and all other people associated with the organization. HRM functions are handled by all managers irrespective of their role in the organization and they do it knowingly or unknowingly (Simmons-Welburn and McNeil, 2004). This is relevant for every employee that has subordinates working under him. HRM looks into different issues like compensation, recruitment, safety, training, development and all factors that help in the growth of the organization (Koster 2007). Organization looks towards ensuring that the goals of the organization are achieved by making the employee work towards it. Since, HRM deals with human beings they have a sense of emotional feeling attached to it and brings forward the issue of ethics in HRM. A situation which can be looked like this is that organizations after interviewing thousands of people look towards recruiting a few and leave the others which raises question of ethics. The HRM thereby looks to recruit some and leave some whereas also reviewing performance of the employee as good and bad raising the issue of ethics in organizations. This makes HRM a core issue and organization needs to ensure that they look into the ethical aspect (Sims 2007). Ethics in HRM looks towards looking at the well being of the employees. It is also important that ethics is considered from other point of as it could create a bad brand image of the company. Being unethical might help the organization in the short run but might lead to bad brand image over a long period of time. Organizations which tend to be unethical find themselves getting in a circular motion and coming out of it becomes difficult. It also has an effect on their performance and as a result creates a situation where even after looking towards being ethical find it difficult to win the customers and employees back. It is also identified that trade is easy when the internal and external environment is ethical (Simmons-Welburn and McNeil, 2004). The organization can ensure this by looking into the fact that the internal environment looks towards developing healthy relation between the management and the employees, whereas on the external environment the organization needs to look into social conservative factors. To ensure it the organization needs to ensure that there is transparency in the working environment (Durai 2010). This will help to create a positive image and will ensure that the organization looks towards working for a common goal. This will develop the employees and ensure that the organization sets high ethical standards in their working arena. There are various research and theories that have highlighted the issue of ethics in HRM. These include the views under the Kantian Ethics, Virtue Ethics, Justice Ethics and, finally yet importantly, the Consequentalism or Utilitarianism view. This helps to identify consequentalism view is based on the theoretician Bentham, and the Utilitarianism view is based on the views of Stewart Mills (Cornelius 2001). The essay focuses on Kantian Ethics. This ethics states that ethics is not only the way you treat others but also people within you (Davila and Elvira, 2008). This should not be ensured as a process to ensure that you treat people well but should be a continuous approach. It should be a process rather than an end. Despite it HRM is unethical but there is no evidence to prove the amount of unethical being sponsored by an organization (Durai 2010). The essay thereby looks to present the manner in which HRM needs to be ethical and the manner they are unethical as they treat people as an instrument to achieve things instead of looking towards them as persons. Firstly, being ethical doesn’t mean that organization treat all people as equal as people who have done wrong needs to be treated mercilessly whereas others should be treated well (Jackson and Mathis, 2007). This brings forward the notion that firing an accountant for manipulating is as ethical as promoting an accountant that has worked well (Simmons-Welburn and McNeil, 2004). It is however observed that combining business and ethics results in no gain for the business (Parker 1998). This is because of the reason that employees find themselves in a situation where they are unable to take a stand. This creates un-clarity in the working environment and makes the employee look at situation which might be correct from the business perspective but unethical thereby making it difficult for the employees to commit themselves towards the organization. It has been seen that organization doesn’t look towards providing the employees their rights therefore being unethical in the working environment (Simmons-Welburn and McNeil, 2004). This makes it important that the organization makes the employees aware of their rights so that they work on the set ethical standard by the organization. This will make the organization consider employees as people instead of machines. This will help the employees to be part of the organization and ensure that even the sick person don’t leave the organization. This makes the organization unethical when they look towards exploiting the employee for their own well being but doesn’t look into the other aspect of the employee (Sims 2007). This is seen in many organizations as organization look towards using the employees for their well being. For example, it is seen that employees are paid poorly at rates which are very low due to increase in labour supply especially in developing countries. This is unethical on the part of the organization as they look to exploit the employees and treat them as unfair. HRM is of the intention that being strict and acting according to the guidelines is ethical. This might not be true in all circumstances as being upright and looking towards being strict might result in the organization acting as unethical. It has also been identified that HRM management looks towards pay cut from the employees like retirements benefit scheme, the national insurance health schemes, social security funds schemes irrespective of the fact whether it is ethical or not (Cornelius 2001). There might be situations where the HRM instead of using the money for the benefits of the employee look towards their own well being (Simmons-Welburn and McNeil, 2004). It has been seen that employees find that their insurance premiums are not being paid which makes it difficult for them to settle their hospitals bills. This is mainly because of the reason that HRM acts unethical and uses the money for their own well being (Storey 2007). This will result in creating a bad image of the organization and the faith that the employees has on the organization will be lost. This makes it important that organization realizes the importance of the matter and looks towards developing ways which ensures that their faith doesn’t get shatter and the organization is able to provide the employees what they deserve. It has also been observed that HRM acts at three levels of values through primary, secondary and peripheral. HRM only look to adhere to the primary level of ethic as they remain the same and do not change whereas secondary and peripheral values are compromised and not kept resulting in HRM being acting as unethical. It makes the HRM look towards finding ways of being unethical as it helps to benefit them (Parker 1998). It has even been seen that organizations done involve employees in the decision making process instead entrust them with the decision taken at the higher level (Pinnington, Macklin and Campbell, 2007). This is done as organization perceives employees as machines and feels that they do not have the qualities that are required in decision making. Along with it, the other reason that makes HRM look towards involving fewer employees in the decision making is that this will prevent the employees from asking incentive and will also ensure that employees don’t want a share when the organization succeeds. This leads to a situation where the HRM acts as unethical in the process as it doesn’t look towards the well being of the employees (Koster 2007). This has made it important that organization identify a way which ensures that the well being of the employees is looked into. Trade union is one such direction which the organization has looked into which advocates the rights of the employees and ensures that the ethical right of the employee is protected (Storey 2007). In addition to it HRM looks to ensure that the relationship between the employees and the management is strong so that communication passes freely. This will help the organization and ensure that they receive continuous feedback and even employees find themselves associated with the organization thereby benefitting the organization. One such direction which has ensured changes is financial record. The organization has ensured that they provide transparency and disclose all information so that the employees can gather all the relevant information about the performance of the organization. The financial reports contain both the financial and non financial information to improve their strategy. (Robert & Michael, 2010) The non financial information provides valuable information to the society like the organisations efforts to curb pollution, their contribution towards the society and other areas where the company is working to improve the condition of the society. (Robert & Michael, 2010) This provides the needed information and helps the society to identify areas which will help them. It helps the HRM to be ethical as providing all the information correctly ensures that the organization is able to deal fairly with its employees. Organizations that are ethical needs to take every step to ensure that they act fairly and is not a matter of chance. Being ethical requires an organization to ensure transparency and look towards the well being of the organization. Ensuring that the organization is ethical in its dealings requires that the talent of the employees are nurtured so that they are able to show their talent and ensure that HRM acts ethically in their action. This is a process which requires the effort and coordination of all members in the organization. It is important that people from the top level to the bottom level realizes the importance of having ethical standards which are looked at. This will help the organization. Even looking to deal seriously with people who are unethical will ensure that the organization is able to get the best from the employees which will ensure that the performance of the organization is highlighted in the best possible way. Organizations that look towards being ethical ensure that they treat the employees as people and ensure that they are looked after. The management on this aspect look to ensure that the work force is provided with the required expertise and guidance and also provided with all material fact so that they can act in a responsible way and ensure that all the steps taken by them look towards ensuring the ethical standards. This makes it important that organization don’t use employees in an incorrect manner and treat them as machines. Instead they should look towards using employees as people who will provide the necessary impetus thereby making the employees to act fairly (Pinnington, Macklin and Campbell, 2007). This brings forward to the question whether the organization is ethical or not. It is imperative that the organization looks towards way of being ethical and handle the work force in a manner that helps to bring maximum benefit for the organization. The paper thereby presents the fact that organizations need to ensure that HRM acts ethical in their dealing. This makes it important that the organization takes steps to ensure that they act ethically over their responsibilities and ensure that the function of HRM yields maximum advantage for the organization. References Cornelius, N. 2001. Human Resource Management: a managerial perspective. London: MacMillan Publishers. Davila, A., and Elvira, M. 2008. Best human resource management practices in Latin America. London: Taylor & Francis Deckop, J., and Deckop, R. 2006. Human resource management ethics. London: IAP Durai. 2010. Human Resource Management. New Delhi: Pearson Education India. Jackson, J., and Mathis, R. 2007. Human resource management. London: Cengage Learning Koster, M. 2007. Ethics in Human Resource Management. Germany: GRIN Verlag. Parker, M. 1998. Ethics and organizations. New York: SAGE Publishers. Pinnington, A., Macklin, R., and Campbell, T. 2007. Human resource management: ethics and employment. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Robert, G. & Michael, P. 2010. 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