OGUNDELE PIUS OREOLUWA

170203097

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

BUS 431- BUSINESS ETHICS AND

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
ETHICAL ISSUES IN THE WORKPLACE AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Health and safety are frequently overlooked, but it is critical that your workplace provides your
employees with the tools they need to stay healthy. According to the International Labour
Organization, over 2.3 million people die each year as a result of workplace accidents or
diseases.(5 Common Ethical Issues in the Workplace | Leadership Coaching, 2022). Mental
health issues, such as stress and headaches, can also cause health incidents. Low job satisfaction,
a favoritism-based reward system, and long hours can all lead to unhealthy lifestyle choices,
including substance abuse. To fix this issue, prioritizing your employees' health and safety is
critical for encouraging a healthy environment and optimum performance. Employees perform
best when they are healthy and well-rested.

FAVOURITISM AND NEPOTISM

Favoritism and nepotism occur when the same person or group of people are frequently rewarded
when others are not. It is largely due to unconscious bias, and it is not always done maliciously,
but it is a problem that disproportionately affects marginalized groups in the workplace.
Favoritism in the workplace occurs when one person (usually a manager) treats one employee
preferentially over all other employees for reasons unrelated to performance. This is common
when coworkers have a common history or share common interests outside of work. Nepotism is
even more visible in the workplace, where people give friends and family preferential treatment.
To handle this ethical issue, a manager must ensure that all performance evaluations, raises, and
promotions are based on performance rather than their personal feelings toward a specific
employee or group of employees. Everyone is entitled to a level playing field. The organization
should also update its ethical codes and strengthen policies that allow for the reporting and
investigation of power abuse. Reinforce workplace repercussions for unethical behavior at all
levels of the organization, and hold everyone accountable through timely performance reviews,
disciplinary procedures, and potential termination of employment.
UNETHICAL LEADERSHIP
People frequently ignore this issue because they do not want to report their manager for unethical
behavior, or they are unaware that it is unethical. It is one thing to have a personal disagreement
with your boss, but it's quite another to report someone who is acting unethically. This can
manifest itself in obvious ways, such as manipulating numbers in a report or spending company
funds on inappropriate activities; however, it can also manifest itself in subtle ways, such as
bullying, accepting inappropriate gifts from suppliers, or being asked to skip a standard
procedure just once. According to studies, managers are responsible for 60% of workplace
wrongdoing, indicating that leadership power is frequently abused.(5 Common Ethical Issues in
the Workplace, n.d.). Create an ethics code that establishes your company's core beliefs and
values to assist in understanding the boundaries in your organization. The Code of Ethics
addresses equal opportunity, encourages employees to speak up and report ethical violations, has
a no-retaliation policy, and has zero tolerance for discrimination and harassment.(Volkov, 2021).
 References
5 Common Ethical Issues in the Workplace | Leadership Coaching. (2022, September 19).

YouTube. Retrieved November 19, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=OnD_prSrm3Q

5 Common Ethical Issues in the Workplace. (n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2022, from

https://www.michiganstateuniversityonline.com/resources/leadership/common-ethical-

issues-in-the-workplace/

Volkov, M. (2021, March 5). Overcoming Unethical Behavior in the Workplace: 9-Step Guide.

GAN Integrity. Retrieved November 19, 2022, from

https://ganintegrity.com/blog/unethical-behavior-in-the-workplace/