In this essay we will discuss about:- 1. Meaning of Professional Ethics 2. Need of Professional Ethics 3. Importance.
Essay on Professional Ethics
Essay # 1. Meaning of Professional Ethics:
Professional ethics are ethics that refer to the moral rules and regulations governing the professional world. In other words, they are the moral values that guide the way corporations or other business makes decisions. Professional ethics are standards or codes of conduct set.by people in a specific profession.
Ethics related to a professional e.g., a manager of a factory are known as–professional ethics. Ethics may be internal or external. As regards internal ethics, a manager must be honest with oneself, since one’s greatest asset is one’s character. And one should be honest and straightforward with others also, treating them in the same manner in which one wishes to be treated (external ethics).
Fairness in dealings with compeers and subordinates is mandatory; one should never discriminate by dispensing special favours or privileges, whether for remuneration or not. Information coming to a professional confidentially should neither be revealed nor used to the disadvantage of any subordinate or worker. One should ensure one’s employment right to privacy. With reference to external ethics, the same suggestions as stated above can be followed.
A code of ethics is a part of the expectations of those involved in many different types of professions. People in a profession don’t want to condone bad, dishonest or responsible behaviour if it does occur by someone in their field. By setting out expected behaviours in the form of professional ethics, professionals work together to try to uphold a good reputation. Professional ethics are commonly known as ethical business practices.
Respect and honesty are the two main Components of professional ethics. All employees are expected to represent a business ethically as they are a part of it. This is why business people traditionally speak of ‘we’ or ‘us’ rather than the more personal ‘I’ for the most part.
For instance, if an employee must mention company policy to a customer, he or she may say “I’m sorry, but this is our company policy in these situations.” Policies are another type of preferred standards in how business is done, and everyone in a company is expected to represent them.
Professional ethics training is often included in career education programs. For instance, medical assistants are trained on the many ethics issues regarding patient confidentiality. It is both unethical and unlawful to discuss a patient’s health records with others who are not involved in the medical care of the individual.
Engineering, journalism, religious organizations and many other professions have professional ethics. These ethical codes or rules must never go against laws, but rather often coordinate with them as in the case of medical record confidentiality. In general, professional ethics always include upholding honesty and respect in the profession over personal needs, conflicts or biases. A bias is a personal belief such as prejudice towards a certain group of people.
Essay # 2. Need of Professional Ethics:
Every company or business needs their own set of ethics and standards for several reasons.
Some of the important reasons are:
1. Success.
2. Checking Tool.
3. Integrity.
4. Mutual Respect.
1. Success:
Success is the most important reason for need of professional ethics. A company should give their employees in writing the list of moral and ethics codes that they have to follow. In the world, every singles person’s individual set of morals and ethics differ.
In the workplace, all these individuals come together and work under the same roof. If one person’s ethics is totally against another person’s set of ethics, then this will lead to confusion and politics. No professional organization can afford to have warring factions within their office if they have to conduct business successfully.
2. Checking Tool:
Work place ethics act as a moral police and check the employees when they are wrong. An employee, who knows what the work ethics are, will not go wrong and live up to the business standards. This is the biggest advantage that an organization gets by defining a set code of ethics.
3. Integrity:
Integrity is one thing that every business should have. When employees follow work ethics, they show integrity to the outside world. Customers believe in the company and also business prospects increase. Every industry has its own ethical guidelines, and a business should make sure that they follow these standards.
4. Mutual Respect:
Mutual respect also should be one of the strongest ethical points for a company. When employees respect each other, then everyone else, including the customers, respect the business.
Essay # 3. Importance of Professional Ethics:
Professional ethics are important for several reasons as explained below:
(a) Ethics corresponds to basic human needs:
It is a human trait that the man desires to be ethical, not only in his private life but also in his profession/business affairs where, being a manager, he knows his decisions will affect the lives of thousands of employees.
Also, most people want to be a part of an organisation which they can respect and be publically proud of, because they perceive its purpose and activities to be honest and beneficial to society.
These basic ethical needs compel the organisations/business enterprises to be ethically oriented.
(b) Ethics create credibility with the public:
A company ethically and socially responsive is honoured in the society, people favour its products and its public issues attract an immediate response.
(c) Ethics give management credibility with employees:
The management automatically gets credibility with its employees when it has credit with the public. The leadership and the people (employees) come and work together.
(d) Ethics help better decision making:
An ethical attitude of management helps making decisions in the interest of public, their employees and the company.
(e) Ethics and profit:
Ethics and profit go together. Value driven companies are always successful in the long run.
(f) Ethics can protect society:
What ethics can do, probably government, and law cannot, to protect society. For example, an ethical oriented management can prevent pollution and protect the health of their workers, and people in general, much before being mandated by law.