Ethics In Public Service

 

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Ethics is inherent in man. Ethics can be said to be an expected and acceptable mode of behavior. This is why it is the concern of personnel management. Ethics belongs to the evolutionary stage of the study, of personnel management that is behavioral in outlook. This note deals with what ethic is and

the methods employed to get it ingrained in the both the public and private sector. 

2.0 OBJECTIVES

At the end of this note, you should be able to:

· define ethics

· identify its significance in organization

· list attitudes which can be termed as good conduct. 

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Definition and Scope

Ethics has been defined as the code of moral principles and values that governs the behavior of individuals or groups with respect to what is right or wrong. The scope of ethics in organization covers both management and leadership. Under management ethics according to Joseph W. Weiss, “Business ethics is the art and discipline of applying ethical principles to examine and solve complex moral dilemmas. Ethics in organization bothers on a moral way of behavior that is expected in an organization. Issues bothering on employee conflicting interests, inappropriate gifts, sexual harassment, unauthorized payments and affirmative action issues.

 Discussing the ethical dimensions of leadership Weiss says that leading effectively also means leading ethically and morally while businesses expand over geographic and cultural boundaries, question concerning the sense of right or wrong of leaders and followers in their business practices gain is importance.  Ethical decisions are not easy to take as the question of right or wrong is so much “person – dependent”. But however there are criteria that define the limits of ethical reasoning:

 - Ethical reasoning should be logical, assumption should be based on facts, and judgements made explicit.

 - Facts and evidence should be accurate, relevant and complete.

- Standards used in one’s ethical reasoning should be consistent if not, there the standards should be modified. 

The followings can be considered as ethical principle:

Ethical Relationship: Moral authority is based on individuals or cultural self-interests, customs or religions principles. An act is morally right if it serves one’s cultural self-interests, needs or standards.

Utilitarianism: A morally or ethically sound decision or policy is the one that is adjudged on the basis of cost – benefit analysis. The benefits exceed the cost of the majority of the people.

Rights: The principle of utilitarianism is based on the inalienable rights and entitlements of individuals or groups guaranteed to all in their pursuit of freedom of speech, choice happiness and self – respect. A manager who overlooks the rights of even one individual or group may jeopardize the implementation of a decision, policy or procedure.

Universalism: Here moral authority is based on the extent to which the intention of an act treats all persons as ends in themselves and with respect. This rule enjoins managers to give individuals unique treatment if their cases so demand and that they may not be treated as mere statistics.

Justice: Moral authority is based on the extent to which  opportunity, wealth and burden are fairly distributed among all. Here fairness and equity govern the decision.

Justice has three components:

- Procedural - (How rules, procedures and the means of distributing burden and wealth are determined).

- Compensatory - (How people are compensated for injustices done to them).

 - Distribution - (Does the crime committee equate punishment given).

 3.2 Elements of Ethics in Practice

 This is simply what constitutes ethical practices in organizations whether public or private.

(1) Discipline- Here all workers both in the private and public sectors are enjoined to be disciplined and ensure that the interest of the service is paramount in whatever is done. It calls on all senior officers to fashion out codes of conduct which they themselves can and should comply with.

(2) Good conduct and Ideas:

- Loyalty - To serve the government with all loyalty and to be adequately compensated. - Honesty - Civil servants should be honest in dealings with the public and should seek for no gratification.

- Courage - Courage for hard work

- Courtesy - It requires the public employees to be polite and courteous to both those in the service and the general public.

- Cooperation - All public servants should work in harmony.

- Tact - Tact means skillfulness in handling a difficult situation without given offence to the people involved.

 - Industry - This means hard work.

- Tidiness - The office environment should be made neat and clean. 

4.0 CONCLUSION

The topic of ethics has been explored. The question of doing right or wrong is highly personal in nature. 

5.0 SUMMARY

 This note has done the following: Given the definition of ethics state the two broad types – management and leadership in ethics, ethics being utilized in knowing if a decision, a policy or a procedure is right or wrong. It has given principles of ethics vis-à-vis its practice in the public service.  <<<Previous Note                                                       Course Contents                                                          Next Note >>>      

   DISCIPLINE AND GRIEVANCE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Maintenance of harmonious human relation in an organization depends upon the promotion and maintenance of discipline. No organization can prosper without discipline. Discipline has been a matter of utmost concern for all organizations. Maintenance of effective discipline in an organization ensures the most economical and optimum utilization of various resources including human resources. 

2.0 OBJECTIVES

At the end of this note, you should be able to:

 · define disciplinary action

· identify various types of methods and processes employed in disciplinary action · recognize different forms of indiscipline leading to disciplinary action

· relate an offence to any appropriate disciplinary action. 

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Definition and Scope

 Discipline refers to a condition or attitude, prevailing among the employees with respect to rules and regulations of an organization. Discipline in the broadest sense means orderliness, the opposite of confusion. It does mean a strict and technical observance of rigid rules and regulations.

 It simply means working, co-operating and behaving in a normal and orderly way, as responsible person would expect an employee to do. Discipline can also be defined as a force that prompts individuals or groups to observe the rules, regulations and procedures which are deemed to be necessary for the effective functioning of the organization. It is the orderly conduct of affairs by members of an organization, who agree to do necessary regulations because they desire to co-operate harmoniously in forwarding the end which the group has in view and willingly recognize that.

Webster’s dictionary gives three basic meaning of the word discipline:-

 - It is training that corrects molds, strengthens or perfects.

- It is control gained by enforcing obedience.

- It is punishment or chastisement

This definition indicates the aspects of discipline via Positive approach Negative approach.  

3.1.1 Discipline Discipline is positive if it helps in molding out good behavior and negative if such a disciplinary programmes forces and constraints the employees to obey orders and function in accordance with set rules and regulations through warning, penalties and other forms of punishment. 

3.1.2 Grievance A grievance is a sign of the employee’s discontent with the job and nature. The employee has got certain aspirations or expectations which he thinks must be fulfilled by the organization, which he is working. Grievance can be defined as any dissatisfaction or feeling of injustice in connection with one’s employment situation that is brought to the notice of the management. Flippo indicates that grievance as a type of discontent which must always be expressed. A grievance is usually more formal in character than a complaint.

It can be valid or ridiculous and must grow out of something connected with company operations or policy. It must involve an interpretation or application of the provisions of the labor contract. Grievance can also be defined as any discontent or dissatisfaction whether exposed or not, whether valid or not, arising out of anything connected with the company which an employee thinks, believes or even feels to be unfair, unjust or inequitable. 

The above definitions indicate that a grievance maybe factual or imaginary or disguised and it is a problem, whether expressed or not, valid or not. When an employee presents a problem, the grievance redressing authority has to analyze the problem, find out the root cause of the problem rather than viewing it from legal aspects and solve it, based on humanitarian approach.

This approach of grievance redressal is known as clinical approach to grievance handling. Hence a grievance maybe viewed as a complex psychological phenomenon, calling for human rather than any procedure or legal action in its analysis and solution.  

3.2 Approaches to Discipline

The different approaches to discipline include:

 - Human Relation Approach

- Human Resources Approach

 - Group Discipline Approach

- Leadership Approach

- Judicial Approach 

The employee is treated as human being and his acts of indiscipline will be dealt with from the new points of human values, aspirations, problems, needs, goals and behavior etc. Under human relations approach, the employee is helped to correct his deviations.

 The employee is treated as a resource and the acts of indiscipline are dealt with considering the failures in the areas of development, maintenance and utilization of human resources under human resource approach. The group as a whole sets the standards of discipline, and punishments for the deviation.

The individual employees are awarded punishment for their violation under the group discipline approach. Every superior administers the rules of discipline and guides, trains and controls the subordinates regarding disciplinary rules under the leadership approach. 

3.2.1 Disciplinary Procedure

 These are the following procedures used in the discipline of staff in an organization.

- Consideration of the explanation, show-cause notice, giving the employee another chance to explain

 - Holding full fledge enquiry

 - Considering the enquiry proceedings

 - Follow – up

 3.2.2 Types of Punishment

When a diligent employee is going to be punished, the type of punishment should be commensurate with the severity of the omission or misconduct. Different types of punishments resulting from various types of omissions or misconducts are as follows:

- Oral warnings - This is an oral reprimand given by a superordinate or superior officer to a subordinate.

 - Written warnings - Whenever oral warnings fail to achieve the desired behavior on the part of the employee, written warnings, which are the first formal state of progressive discipline maybe recorded to written warnings are also referred to as “pink steps” which indicate that certain rights would be withdrawn incase the employee continues his omission or misconduct.

 - Loss of privileges and fines.

 - Future suspension

- Withholding of increments

- Demotion

- Termination of appointment which occur in two ways

 (1) Discharge

 (2) Dismissal 

3.3 Nature and Causes of Grievance A grievance is a problem submitted by an employee which likely to affect the terms and conditions of employment of one worker or several workers. If a problem is related to and endorsed by all or majority of employees or if a trade union submits a problem as a general claim, it falls outside the scope of grievance procedure and generally comes under the preview of collective bargaining.

 Thus an issue is under in scope or general in nature, it will be outside the grievance machinery. A grievance has a narrower perspective, it is concerned with the interpretation of a contract or award as concerned to an individual or a few employees of different types. As such, policy issues do not fall within the scope of the grievance machinery.

Causes of grievance are related to interpretation of all personnel policies, issues are complaints affecting one or more individual worker in respect of their wage payments, overtime, leave, transfer, promotion, seniority, work assignments and discharge. Also the causes of grievance include the interpretation of areas like placement, allowances, utilization, medical benefits, housing facilities, and loan grants, condition of work, seniority and safety measures.

 3.3.1 Pre-Requisite of a Grievance Procedure

The efficiency of a grievance procedure depends upon the fulfillment of certain pre-requisites. They are as follows:

 - Conformity with prevailing legislation and while designing the grievance procedure due consideration must be given to the existing statutory provisions.

 - Clarity - There should be clarity regarding each and every aspect of the grievance procedure. An aggrieved employee must be informed about the purpose to whom a representation can be made. The form of submission (written or oral), the time limit for the redressal of grievance. Similarly, the redressing authority should be very clear about what is expected from him. What measures he can take, the limits within which he should resort to an action.

- Simplicity - The grievance procedure should be simple. Every employee must understand different stages of the procedure, the forms to be filled, the very purpose of the procedure. - Promptness – The promptness with which a grievance is processed adds further to the success of the grievance. The procedure should aim at rapid disposal of the grievance. - Training - The success of the procedure also depends upon imparting training to the superiors and union representatives in handling grievance.

 - Follow - up - The successful working of a grievance procedure depends upon a proper follow-up by the personnel department. The department should periodically review the procedure and introduce the essential structural changes making it more effective. 

3.3.2 Grievance Procedure

First of all the complaints, should be tabled before the appropriate authority. If there is no favorable response from the departmental head, the worker can resort to the grievance committee which comprises of the representatives of employers and employees.

 This committee shall communicate its recommendations to the manager within seven days of the grievance reaching it. If there are unanimous decisions, these shall be implemented by the management. But where there is no unanimous decision, the union and the management may refer the grievance to a voluntary arbitration within nine (9) weeks of receipt of management decision by the worker. 

4.0 CONCLUSION

This note has examined the concept of discipline and grievance. The reward that disciplinary action gives is penalty or punishment. It is not palatable reward but it is a necessary part of organizational life known to be bitter, the most un-offensive way it can be given will aid its acceptance and lead faster to its aim which is behavior reformation. 

5.0 SUMMARY

The note has explored the concept of discipline and grievance. It has examined also the approaches to discipline, disciplinary procedures, types of punishment and the nature and causes of grievance.  



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