Understanding Social Responsibility and Ethical Behavior

Social Responsibility means that individuals have a duty to act in the best interests of their
environment and society as a whole. It is the ability to interact with people for the welfare of human
beings as member of society.

Ethical Behavior then, is the kind of behavior that conforms with the standard of conduct which
is morally accepted as good and right in a given situation. It is both legally and morally accepted..

Social Responsibility and Ethics

Social Responsibility is an ethical theory, in which individuals are accountable of fulfilling their civic duty.
The actions of an individual must benefit the whole of society and the environment.

In this way, there must be a balance between economic growth and the welfare of society. If this
equilibrium is maintained, then social responsibility is accomplished.

What it means to be Socially Responsible and Ethical?

The theory of social responsibility is built on a system of ethics, in which decisions and actions must be
ethically validated before proceeding. If the action or decision causes harm to society or the
environment, then, it is social irresponsibility.
Moral values that are inherent in society create a distinction between right and wrong. Every individual
has a responsibility to act in a manner that is pleasant and beneficial to society.

When Do We Apply Social Responsibility and Ethics?

It should be incorporated into our daily actions and decisions, particularly the ones that will have an
effect on the other person and the environment.

In a larger group capacity, a code of conduct and ethical standard is applied within said group as well as
during interactions with another group or individual.

Unethical Workplace Behaviors

• Lies
Lying is a trait that is detested in and outside the workplace. It kills trust, affects relationships and may
even put people in trouble. Ex. Adding experiences they didn't acquire, and the skills they don't have in
their PDS.

• Taking Credit for Others’ Hard Work

It is very common for managers to take credit for their team member's hard work when reporting to the
management.

By taking credit for another person's work, you will be denying the person’s promotion, bonus or
commendation for a job well done. This will discourage the person from sharing ideas that will benefit
the company in the future.

• Verbal Harassment/Abuse

Employees need to stay away from using foul language on co-workers in and out of the workplace. This
is also very important when dealing with customers. It is important that you don't use abusive words on
customer/clients no matter how provoked.

• Violence

Similar to verbal harassment, employees should not be violent when dealing with co-workers and
customers. Customers may likely provoke you, but it is better to keep shut and walk away rather than
turn violent.
• Non-Office Related Work

A lot of employees have side hustles which they use to supplement salaries. This is very good and only
very few companies are against employees working to make money outside work hours.

However, some employees still do non-office related work during office hours. Employees who have side
hustles should try doing them on weekends or employing other people to handle some of the business
logistics to avoid eating into office hours to get the work done.

• Extended Breaks

Companies give lunch breaks to employees and people take advantage of these breaks to do other
things outside office work like, go for interviews, meet with friends or even work on their side hustles.
They are free to do whatever they want these lunch breaks.

Employees, however, take advantage of these lunch breaks and extend them beyond time.

• Theft/Embezzlement

Some employees are known for using company funds for personal use, padding project quotations,
invoices, etc. to deceive the company on how much was spent on particular projects.
This act is detrimental to the company because employees who steal sometimes replace quality
products with counterfeits which are cheaper but causes damage in the future.

• Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is an offense that is not limited to the workplace alone. An employee accused of
sexual harassment will not only face consequences in the workplace but also tried at a court of law.

How to Solve Unethical Issues at the Workplace

• Have Rules

Organizations need to have predefined rules and regulations regarding workplace ethics. These rules
and regulations should be given to new employees together with their employment contract.

Also having the rules written at strategic places at the workplace will also help remind people about the
rules. People tend to unconsciously imbibe things they see every day.
• Accept Feedback/Complaint

Make it easy for employees to send feedback or complaint in case of harassment, abuse or any other
unethical activities going on in the workplace.

• List consequences for unethical behaviors

Consequences for unethical behaviors should also be placed alongside the rules at strategic places in the
organization. That way, if anyone wants to ignore the rules despite seeing them, the fear of getting
punished will stop him or her from going ahead.

• Swift Justice/Disciplinary Action

Some companies often cover up issues of rape, sexual harassment, etc. when the perpetrator is a high
ranking member of the organization. Things like this should not be accommodated.
Irrespective of who breaks the rule, there should be swift disciplinary action by the organization.

Character Breakdown

In breakdown, a person changed in ways, that warrant saying, that one is no longer the person
he/she once was. Thus breakdown suggests a loss of moral status and function. When we say that
someone is no longer the person he once was, we often mean that he has become a worse person so far
as the substantive elements of his character are concerned.

Possible Causes of Character Breakdown

Envy Malice Greed Injustice

What are the warning signs of uncontrolled greed?

1. Overly self-centered behaviour becomes the first give-away of greedy people. Greedy people
are always saying “me, me, me” with very little regard for the needs and feelings of others.
2. Envy and greed are like twins. While greed is a strong desire for more and more possessions
(such as wealth and power), envy goes one step further and includes a strong desire by greedy people
for the possessions of others.

3. Greedy people lack empathy. Caring—being concerned about the feelings of others—is not part
of their repertoire. As such, they have little qualms about causing pain to others. Their inability to
empathise, their lack of genuine interest in the ideas and feelings of others, and their unwillingness to
take personal responsibility for their behaviour and actions makes them very difficult people to be with.

4. They are never satisfied. Greedy people look at the world as a zero-sum game. Instead of
thinking that everyone would benefit as the pie gets larger, they view the pie as a constant and want to
have the biggest part. They truly believe that they deserve more, even if it comes at someone else’s
expense.

5. Greedy people are experts in manipulation. They are highly talented in taking credit for work
done by others.

6. Greedy people are focused on satiating their immediate needs and leave it to others to cope
with the consequences. To illustrate, as leaders of corporations, they are more interested in getting their
bonuses, instead of making investments for future innovation, or to share whatever benefits accrued
with their employees.

7. In the pursuit of their material needs, they know no limits. Greedy people are not good at
maintaining boundaries. They look for loopholes or clever ways to outsmart the rules and regulations
that have been put into place, to moderate and cover this kind of behaviour. . They will compromise
moral values and ethics to achieve their goals
.

INJUSTICE

 Applies to any act that involves unfairness to another or violation of one's rights.

Some of us have done harm to others, and most of the time such harm is done inadvertently or
unintentionally. But there are some who do harm maliciously.

Now, what is malice anyway?

From a legal perspective, malice is defined as the conscious intent to do harm. For some, such
malevolent intention is the very definition of evil. But what you might wonder, would make a person
deliberately want to hurt someone else?

Sometimes we can inflict pain on others out of sheer ignorance or even carelessness. But this is
not the same as intentionally doing something to injure someone.
 Disturbed and disordered characters are unfortunately among those who hurt people
intentionally and for a variety of reasons.

References:

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/socialresponsibility.asp

https://www.pachamama.org/social-justice/social-responsibility-and-ethics

https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1989/ra_6713_1989.html

https://www.formpl.us/blog/workplace-ethics
https://books.google.com.ph/books

https://knowledge.insead.edu/blog/insead-blog/seven-signs-of-the-greed-syndrome-4624

https://www.drgeorgesimon.com/character-disorders-and-malice/

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/injustice