Ethics in Human Resources: Guidelines for HR Teams

Beyond compensation and benefits, HR teams are now tasked with challenges like fostering diversity in the workforce, addressing issues of inequality and setting standards around workplace conduct. Often, human resources ethics policies around these issues can directly impact how a company attracts and retains talent. According to a recent report, for example, 79 percent workers said they would not accept a job with a higher salary from a company that has failed to take action in sexual harassment cases. While HR ethics conversations that challenge the status quo in the workplace are marks of progress, they require HR departments to make tough ethical decisions.

Know the laws
As a representative of an organization, HR professionals need to make tough decisions and hold employees accountable for wrongful actions—and that's not an easy task. To do so effectively requires confidence and authority. Knowing important labor laws and compliance practices will help manage these issues as they arise, as opposed to after the fact.

For example, if an employee were to request short-term disability, you would need to understand your benefits provider’s short-term disability policy and eligibility. You will also be expected to know insurance laws and explain them to your employee. Familiarizing yourself with these laws early on will save you time and equip you with knowledge to navigate legal challenges in the future.

Prioritize professional development
HR is a constantly changing field, especially as new conversations arise and technology continues to change the way we work. Staying on top of these changes requires a new set of skills and knowledge. Participating in trainings is one way to stay ahead of the curve.
 

Be an ethical HR leader
Conflict between colleagues is inevitable in the workplace. Imagine, for example, an employee tells you that their manager, a high-level executive, has treated them unfairly. A situation like this requires you to engage in tough conversations with everyone involved. Being an ethical HR leader means being confident in your moral decisions and effectively communicating them to employees. And, according to the Josephson Institute of Ethics at UC San Diego, making an ethical decision requires three things:

1. Commitment: “The desire to do the right thing regardless of the cost.” 
2. Consciousness: “The awareness to act consistently and apply moral convictions to daily behavior.”
3. Competency: “The ability to collect and evaluate information, develop alternatives and foresee potential consequences and risks.”

Keep information confidential
From social security numbers to medical records, HR professionals have access to a lot of confidential information about employees. By making sure paperwork and electronic systems are secure, you can rest easy that your company’s information is protected.

As an HR professional, you also have a legal obligation to keep everything an employee tells you confidential, unless otherwise specified or discussed. For instance, if an employee comes to you with a concern about a colleague or tells you they have witnessed sexist or racist behavior in the office, it is your job to manage this information without revealing your sources. 

HR professionals face a number of hurdles that can make the job challenging, it can also be equally rewarding. After all, HR professionals give a company meaning by improving and enhancing the employee experience. Once you navigate the ethical challenges of the job, you will be able to effectively attract and retain a talented workforce. 

-shafixe