“Keep the Etiquette: The Office”

           The corporate world is the world of competition, investments, business, and

continuous gamble for profit and loss. It is the world of businesses that moves in a fast-
paced busy network, that any idle time put into waste could leave a company left
behind. In such a competitive world order is essential to keep it working at ease and
organized. Hence, various laws, policies, and business ethics are applied and expected
to be followed with specific behaviors to be met. Business ethics ensure ethical and
professional actions from everyone to keep social partnership and multi-cultural
diversity at every workplace. A workplace must provide a safe and harmonious
environment for everyone. It should be free from any form of bullying, downsizing, and
discrimination. Consequently, it should be a place to enhance and develop skills, with
proper compensations based on one’s efficiency and effectiveness as an employee.
However, despite great efforts to keep a business ethical as much as possible, there
are still some businesses that resort to unethical practices to advance in the corporate
world. 
We cannot deny the fact that almost all companies or businesses have their
unethical work behaviors. It is miraculous to say that if one company does not
experience any form of unethical work behaviors, because it is the nature of some
people to do unethical doings for their interests and own benefits. We can say those
unethical work behaviors are action that falls outside of what is considered morally right
or proper for a person or industry. It is also an act of violating the law itself, rules,
regulations, and policies prohibited by the company. Also, unethical behavior
occurrence inside the company affects the work environment in a negative way to the
extent that the company may lose or reduce their reputation, morale, employee
commitment, and productivity resulting in serious consequences and/or financial loss. 
      
Unethical practices are commonly seen as an easy way to the top. Some even
have the nerves to justify such actions as just a strategy they have, and it is fine as long
as no one is hurt. Thinking an action is only deemed unethical if there are outright
damages or explicit evidence of aggrieved individuals is the prevalent misconception
most unethical businesses have. Subsequently, the common unethical business
practice committed by most of the business is ‘misinterpretation’. Misinterpretation is
divided into two: First Direct Misinterpretation that is characterized by the active
misrepresentation of products to the customers and consumers. Second is the Indirect
Misinterpretation that is characterized by omitting of adverse information about a
product. To sum it up Direct Misinterpretation is the inclusion of fallacious information
about the product, while Indirect Misinterpretation is the exclusion of unfavorable
information about the product. Such unethical practice is prevalent unknowingly to the
consumer; it provides benefits to the company at the expense of the consumer’s right to
have the goods they paid for. Hence, ethics must be properly embedded into the
business from the management until the employees. 

When embedding ethical values into organizational culture, the roles of a

company’s Ethics and HR functions frequently overlap. One of the departments of the
company that will keep the company intact is the HR Department. They will serve as a
part of the backbone of the company since they are the one who reviews and checks if
the people that are applying for a certain position in the company are an asset or just
another expense for them. The Human Resource Department are the ones who are
tasked to review the employment and manage strategies on how to get better
employees. The HR manager is the people who are trained to see the potential of the
candidates for employment. They are the ones that will decide if the employees are
fitted or skilled and qualified enough for the job. They also ensure that the organization
will have competent and well-experienced employees to reach their goal. They also play
a significant part in the decision-making process, which includes the assessment of
demands for current and future employment. If the HR Manager will hire an effective
and efficient employee, then he/ she reduces the outright expenses of the company.

However, if the HR Manager fails to do his or her job then it will be the start of the
chaos in the company. It will be the start of incurring possible additional expenses in the
business. Incompetency and unproductivity will soon arise. And receiving queries about
an employee who committed time theft, employees who have improper or unethical
behavior will be such a headache. For instance, if the HR Department of a company has
inadequate HR policies, an outdated employee handbook, and disregard training,
employees would be encouraged to have unethical behaviors. There would be a belief
that even they commit unethical behaviors they will not be liable, as ethical behaviors
they must submit with are not stipulated by the HR. When employees started to feel at
ease in doing such actions, they would repeat it and encourage others that soon would
pile up into serious dilemmas for the business.
      
Currently, various mediums are being incorporated to raise awareness about the
common unethical practices committed by businesses. One of the prevailing mediums
is the media, through movies, documentaries, and series unethical practices that are
brought to the attention of the public fast. An example of this is “The Office”, an
American mockumentary sitcom television series that depicts the everyday office lives
of office employees. The series successfully gain the public’s attention that despite
having mixed reviews in the first season they managed to be included on several top TV
series lists. It is even named as the Second-Best TV Series of 2006 and Sixth-best
Returning Series of 2007 out of 10 TV series, by Time’s James Poniewozik. Along with
the humorous portrayal of everyday scenarios in office life, "The Office" also portrayed
unethical workplace practices. 
 The episode starts with conducting a seminar related to ethics. In this scene, the
employees were asked to share their unethical behaviors since there is the immunity
that will protect them from receiving a punishment. Some unethical actions showed are
Time Theft, wherein they use their time for personal interest instead of working.
Michael admitted that when he discovered YouTube, he did not work for five days.
While another employee is not able to work at all as he keeps on timing Dwight
throughout the day just to prove if he is ethical. Also, one employee confessed that he is
taking a longer lunch. It is also mentioned that someone is spending half an hour on a
water cooler during work hours. Indeed, all of these are considered as misconduct as
time theft allows employees to cover their work hours doing nothing when they are
supposed to carry out their assigned tasks. 

Time theft at work occurs when an employee accepts pay from their employer for
work that they did not actually and genuinely work, or for the time they have not put into
their work. It was said in the clips "The Office" that the time theft policy is the same as
taking money in the company since employees get paid for the work they didn't do and it
may result in an increase in the company's expenses. It is potentially a real problem in
the workplace and one of the most overlooked issues across virtually all industries. It
can be considered as abuse done by employees which could have a great impact on
the business if not amended as soon as it occurred as it directly violates company
policies and sometimes even the law. With more employees accessing the internet than
ever before and with a growing mobile workforce, time theft is getting even more
challenging to prevent. And when you examine the impact time theft can have on the
overall productivity, it is no wonder more employers are cracking down and increasing
enforcement. Time theft is not always easy to detect and can come in many forms and
many levels of severity. 

Time theft is unethical because you are paid for something that you did not work
for. Besides, time theft can further impact the company by diminishing employee's
productivity and morale. Because of this negative behavior, productivity suffers that
demotivates a hardworking employee to watch someone else who is making the same
amount of money for less work and worse results. It must be addressed properly to
make it clear to the employees that time is no joke in the industry and that employee
productivity is essential for the business to meet its objectives. We might view the
reason acceptable at some point. But as Ms. Torres taught us, "There is no right way to
do a wrong thing". Time theft, whatever someone's reason behind doing it, is and will
always be unethical and sin as well. 
 Another unethical practice shown is Dishonesty, as it has been reported that
some staffs are stealing office supplies. Taking office supplies for personal use is a
form of dishonesty, as those supplies are expected to be used in the office for the office
works. Likely, someone admitted that she downloaded parody music on her computer.
Though the second scenario seems like no tangible supplies are taken, the use of the
internet and computer in downloading the music solely for personal interest is still a
form of dishonesty. Regardless of size or form, usage of office supplies and resources
for personal use is still wrong and a form of dishonesty, because those resources are
intended for company use. 

Moreover, some of the ethical dilemmas involve is having intimate

relationships, though office romance can be justifiable as an exemption still it should
not be tolerated because it might cause disturbance and alliance over something that
may bound to unethical deeds. Similarly, an employee named Meredith admits that she
is sleeping with the company's supplier for the entity's discount and her steak coupons.
This is a representation of Conflict of Interest, as the romantic ties between Meredith
and the supplier may influence her future decisions. The sense of indebtedness and
attachments with that relationship made Meredith incapable of making impartial
decisions. Furthermore, it is very alarming and extremely unethical, for she made a poor
decision and mixes her personal life with work just to get discounts from the supplier. 

In line with this, HR manager Holly was scolded by the top management for
attempting to rectify the statutory and ethical lapses in the office, especially the case of
Meredith, and it is evident in this scene that the top management tolerates
misbehavior in the workplace just because they are getting discounts at the tough
times in their balance sheet. There is also a visible Loose or Ineffective Control in
Dunder Mifflin, as the manager is keeping blind eyes in Meredith’s case instead of
correcting it. He also fails in asserting control to remove temptations and discourage
other employees to make unethical practices. Unfair Labor Practices are also shown in
“The Office”, as Holly was discriminated against for doing her job. The moment Holly
tried to suggest the correction of Meredith’s unethical actions she was shouted at and
belittled. Her boss even told her that her job is all about getting a signature from the
employees, proving they attended the ethics seminar. Holly’s job is more than getting an
employee’s seminar or reading the clause of ethics. She should be able to incorporate
ethical behavior with other employees, which is essential to keep the whole business
ethical. Hence, the discrimination and belittling she got is an unfair and unethical
treatment for an employee. The said unethical practices are portrayed with humor in the
series but they are the reality for some workplace. It should be stopped and corrected
as it affects the overall operation and management of a business. 
 Sadly, we do not think Dunder Mifflin did the right thing to rectify these unethical
practices. We do not agree on how they tried to solve the issues. Ethics should not be
sacrificed in exchange for the company's higher income or minimization of costs.
Ideally, the unethical practices committed by the employees must be properly
addressed and dealt with. They could create and apply a code of ethics, establish, and
strictly apply a protocol, and continuously review the said code to address timely and
contemporary unethical practices. They should also provide proper ethics seminars not
focusing on the attendance of employees but their understanding of the clauses.
     
 It is noticeable that in the series their ethics seminar started in a way where it
ruined the professional atmosphere of the office. Also, while Holly is discussing the
problems, they keep bickering and proceeding to the next topic without discussing and
assessing it, and they ignored the agenda of the meeting and turned into an informal
meeting. Along with this, Michael, the one with a high position in the company, showed
ineffective controls as he disregarded the code of ethics for the good of his employees
because he considers them as his family and can’t do impartial decisions as he feels
sorry for them if they lose their only source of income; specifically in the case of
Meredith. As part of his job, he must do something to prevent his employees from
engaging in unethical behaviors and assert control over their professional behaviors. He
should have implemented corporate and workplace code of ethics without bias or
emotional influence that may result in personal gain, and tolerance of misconduct which
affects the company.
     
 As a result, they did not resolve any of the problems that they discussed in the
meeting. Those who committed dishonesty like time theft and taking office supplies for
personal use, although not as controversial as Meredith’s case, should at least have a
punishment or sanction because it is unethical. In Meredith's case, on the other hand,
they should not have ignored her unethical actions as it may lead to a bigger issue that
will surely affect the reputation of the company. She must be held liable for his unethical
behavior and she should be made aware that the result of having discounts does not
justify the means on how she got that. 
      
Therefore, the characters did not do anything notable to resolve the issues. In the
six-step approach in solving an ethical dilemma, they only performed until the third step
which is to determine the parties involved and affected by the said issue. Holly is trying
to come up with a less harsh solution for Meredith, but Michael keeps on arguing to just
forget and think that it did not happen. In the end, they recommence the meeting for
formality and just to collect the employees' signatures. This alone showed that the
company does not value business ethics but just on compliance with the required
seminars. 
           There was also an argument where Holly and Michael state two opposing points
although both arguments are valid. Michael believes that the company is like a family
and that just like what a family does, the employees should also commit themselves to
their work whether things are good or bad, they should still face it together. On the
contrary, Holly believes that a workplace is a workplace where personal issues must be
separated from.
     
 A company cannot reach its goals and objectives without the help of each other.
Having a company that is like your own family encourages a good attitude and behavior
and creates a comfortable and happy workplace. This in return promotes teamwork
which can enhance the business performance. If the employees are treated with due
care, it can reciprocate into loyalty which is very important especially for the company to
keep their esteemed forces. However, while it is favorable to have a good relationship
and create strong bonds with your co-workers, limitations must be applied in the
workplace. 
 
The fact is that personal issues must be separated from those of the business. It
is a workplace where one should act ethically and following the rules and the accepted
behavior by the company. You can treat your colleagues as a family however, a line
must be drawn when the interest of the business is involved. Dunder Mifflin is a
professional setting where several interests are at stake and one wrong judgment and
decision may affect a wide range of people. These stakeholders entrust their money,
time, and effort to the company in hope that it will benefit them in return, and tolerating
unethical acts puts the company at risk. It violates the public policy of whom they are
supposed to serve. As professionals, they are expected to carry out their duties with
integrity while still being of service to others. This can be accomplished by holding on to
their established protocol but making sure that the unethical party will not be deprived of
his rights (cases of public shaming). Although Meredith's purpose is for the good of the
company, the process of getting it is not acceptable (at least for us and for Dunder
Mifflin’s protocols). The end does not justify the mean, meaning it is still important to
keep in mind the process of doing things. 
     
 Besides, tolerating unethical acts out of consideration as a 'family' may invite
further behavior of bad faith. Leaders who view their employees as "families" expect
more than just work from them wherein they blur the lines between work and home.
Treating employees like family prevents them from being honest and unemotive and
sometimes forgot the ethical actions needed in the company. Also, if they treat them as
family, they have the guts to do some unethical actions because they knew that they
cannot be fired.
 We are on Holly's side and agreed when she stands for the right practices in a
company over Michael's opinion. It is a workplace wherein they can treat each other as
a sports team to help each other to cultivate the success of the company. Though you
can treat your colleagues as a family in terms of protocol or practices, you should obey
the rules. The relationship among the persons in a company matters especially when
someone is being unethical. It is important to act in this kind of situation. "There is no
right way to do the wrong thing". Unethical actions will always be unethical no matter
what reasons you have. We must respect our company workplace.

Dealing with all the unethical reports is not an easy task and most of the time
very complicated. Assuming that we are part of the Human Resource Department in
which all the unethical work behaviors were reported, it is our responsibility to manage
them and keep them confidential unless there is a need for a thorough discussion of it.
There are a lot of ways on how to implement a proper and effective approach in case of
unethical behaviors arises without affecting the name of the company and the involved
employee itself.

The first approach is the observation, we must deal with facts and gather pieces
of information and shreds of evidence upon the said matter, through assessing all the
records and if proven guilty I will hold them accountable for their wrong doings in
compliance with labor laws and business practices. Another, in the time we are
investigating, we will assure those people involved will be investigated and their actions
may reflect the unethical report to them. Besides, we must avoid quick assumptions and
presumptions that may lead to misunderstanding of the given issue in the workplace,
definitely gather first primary information from primary sources that can help to come up
with strong evidence and reliable information.

The second approach defines the problem, we should document every detail
concerning with the reported unethical work behaviors so that we have proof in case of
needed and for the benefit of the department to be used as their basis for the
appropriate solution and to use in scrutinizing and investigating specific issues and
wrongdoings.

Next, we must resort to company guidelines and code of ethics to handle the
situation properly and following the company’s rules. Another, we can follow the
company procedures regarding dealing with unethical behavior, the employee
handbook gives the best advice on what to do with that certain issue. But if the issue is
beyond unethical, or it can be already illegal, it might need to deal with these things
differently. We may also use the specifically designed business codes to come up with
the possible recommendations, in that process we must consider those appropriate
solutions and potential alternatives that would benefit the employees and the business
itself.

The fourth approach is to implement an appropriate action, talk to the people

involved and explain the consequences they will face if proven that they are guilty, ask
the people an official conversation to discuss the unnecessary and inappropriate
behavior and violations along with the possible penalties and disciplines that may occur
if they violate the provided written code of conduct and behaviors of the company. For
some instances, if firing an employee is the only solution then do it and in illegal
matters, legal action is a must to protect the company’s as well. The said matter should
be dealt with privacy to ensure that no rights of people involved are violated in the
process of interrogation.

In the last approach, we may now propose the resolution to the managers to get
his approval, to settle the ongoing issues, and to implement the solution and
punishment that is suitable to the case or unethical work behavior of a specific
individual. On the other hand, recommendations may apply in the company for the
benefit of the employees to maintain and enhance ethical behaviors in their actions. The
company can invest in such moral training through relevant programs that will also be a
great help for the company to develop on how to behave ethically. We can also inform
the head of each department and/or the owner that promotion is well-appreciated by the
employees because give the motivation to become a hard worker and passionate about
what they are doing. It will also boost their confidence and it will enhance the quality of
being loyal and faithful. Providing also an extra rest or extra day off for each determined
employee and give the right and extra salary or bonus as a reward for being hard to
work, it will be a great help to engage themselves in a workable environment and will
prevent the occurrence of unethical behavior.

Hence, workplaces are so complicated, the employees have their different

definition of what is right or wrong, different behaviors, and different point of view.
Conflicts will surely arise and as part of the HR department, it is our responsibility to act
on it to ensure and promote a healthy and ethical workplace. Putting ourselves in
situations like dealing with people behaving unethically in the workplace is indeed a
huge difficult responsibility because it has a coherence to the company’s composition of
credibility. This kind of circumstance happens when probably either because of a lack of
clear accountabilities or the presence of negative internal factors (physiological and/or
psychological) or external factors (one’s environment) affecting one’s behavior. When
the time goes that we are already in the real field or industry, every one of us must be
responsible enough in our decisions, actions, and consequences that might affect
ourselves and the company itself. Not only the Human Resource Department can lead
in any unethical work behaviors, but definitely, we must lead, lead ourselves to avoid
that kind of doings, lead ourselves in a way that we must be disciplined enough and
responsible as an individual and as an employee of the company.

Though in the real world, unethical work behaviors are prevalent, because the
involved individuals are beneficial to the company or they have their power to twist the
reality because of what we called connivance. Still, we should always remind ourselves
about what is right and just. We in ourselves must not tolerate and encourage unethical
actions. As future professionals, we must always come up with what is ethical to
everyone and not for personal sake and interest. We must know the difference between
what you have a right to do and what is right to do.