People & Organisations

Subject Code
Assignment 2
Company - United Motors Lanka PLC

Student Name -
Registration No -

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 Commented [WU1]: Need cover page
Table of Contents Need table of content

1. Introduction
1.1. Introduction to United Motors Pvt Ltd
2. Main Purpose of Code of Ethics
3. Main Challenges
3.1. Personal Greed and Scam
3.2. Impractical Targets
3.3. Personal Traits
3.4. Waste Time and Resources
3.5. Complains about co-workers
4. Solutions and Changes
4.1. Take Responsibility
4.2. Team Work
4.3. Dedication
4.4. Confidentiality
4.5. Fair Dealing
4.6. Create a Code of Ethics Document
4.7. Employee Reporting
4.8. Set Realistic Goals
4.9. Be an Example
4.10. Divide and Assign
4.11. Practice Persistence
4.12. Habit of do something always
4.13. Reward Employees
4.14. Get feedback from employees
4.15. Give Feedback on employee performances
4.16. Keep personal life and work apart

5. Conclusion
6. References

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 Commented [WU2]: Need citation for every 100 words

1. Introduction
Main Feature of workplace ethics is integrity, trust and being honest and doing right thing at
right time. Ethics guide employees on how to conduct themselves in their daily lives, including
their workplace. The code of ethics explains the expected behavior of employees by the
company. Organization summarize code of conduct during interview process or first day at work
to educate the employees. Hard working and honest employees ensure success of company also
enhance overall morale and reputation of company. Human resource professionals consider
hiring people of integrity. One’s behavior should be true and honest at work which is expects
from lowest level employees to highest level management so the customers feels the difference
of the company. Main advantage of having an ethical workforce , honest employees in company
is that uplifting the reputation of company among other competitors and customers. Therefor the
companies worldwide are issuing Code of ethics to be followed by its employees.
1.1.Introduction to United Motors Lanka PLC
United Motors Lanka PLC is well reputed business company in Sri Lanka for over 70 years and
stands as a leading automotive products supplier in the country. United Motors Lanka PLC is
listed among Top 25 companies by Business Today Magazine. (United Motors Lanka PLC,
2019)
United Motors has also been honored as the Winner of the Annual Report for the automotive
sector by the Chartered Institute of Accountants for profitability growth and corporate
governance and Corporate Social Responsibility activities of the company. UML distributing
passenger and commercial vehicles brands such as Fuso trucks and buses, Mitsubishi passenger
vehicles, and Perodua and Zorye Cars, JCB heavy equipment, JMC trucks, Brilliance Vans also
sole distributor or Yakohoma tires and Valvoline lubricants etc. United motors have branches all
over the country which is large network to enhance proper distribution of products in both urban
and rural areas. United Motors branch network includes Kandy, Kurunagala, Matara,
Anuradapura, Nugegoda, Rantapura, Nuwara Eliya and Jaffna. United Motors has over 2000
dealers across the country to distribute tires, lubricants, genuine prats island wide. (United
Motors Lanka PLC, 2019) United Motors has faces many ethical issues in the organization. They
have issue Code of Ethic for the employers to follow.
United Motors Vision
“To be the best company in Sri Lanka through diversification whilst maintaining leadership
position in the transport industry” (Super User. 2019). Company have to face lots of challenges
in handling and managing huge workforce all around the country. Having 8 branches,
organization face difficulty in managing a large workforce and controlling ethics and standard,
quality of work.
To manage each branch and maintain ethical behavior in each branch is becomes a challenge for
this company. Human resource and Department heads have responsibility to maintain ethical
workforce in each branch of company. Organization face more problem when handling

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complaints from staff in each branch due unethical behavior. Staff in each branch must be
educated of code of ethics of company by human resource officers and other department heads.
There should be proper way of handling employees’ complaints from each branch.
2. Main Purposes of applying Code of Ethics
Build an ethical workforce, enhance United Motors Lanka company’s reputation, Ensure
Long Term Success of the company, increase overall morale, Increase profits and cut down
the unnecessary expenses, keep employees happy and satisfied, build a strong customer base,
Build trust on suppliers, investors are the main purpose of building a code of ethics for
employees. (CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS, 2019).

3. Main Challenges and Issues

Here are main challenges and issues organization face while building an ethical workforce.
3.1.Personal Greed and Scam
Employees from Management to Staff seek to fill their pockets in transactions rather than
being honest to the company. Some Employees as a group thinks when most of the people
doing illegal unethical works, its justifiable to do the same.
Misusage of company resources for personal gain can be seen either in government and private
sector. People must have good heart and honesty towards the employer rather than being
greedy and selfish. For an example, Take bribe from customer to give product or service of
company for a lesser price, Using company assets such as vehicles, office tools, machines,
computers, printers, telephones, scanners, internet to accomplish personal work, Employees
must be ethical to use any resources only if employers have given approval to use those,
Selling product and services for lesser price or free to family members and friends, Changing
purchasing data in database or not entering purchases to the company database for cover up
unethical actions. (Garfinkle. Joel, 2005)

Company assets must be keep safe and in proper condition by employees. Misuse of company
assets have great impact on company’s profitability. Usage of company assets for personal use
is not acceptable without proper permission from employers. Stealing and misusage of
company assets must be reduced by educating employees of code of ethics. Putting personal
agendas first and do what is best for themselves is unaccepted unethical behavior from an
employee. (CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS, 2019)

3.2.Impractical Targets
Employers give the impossible targets to achieve by employees to get more profits. Even the
employee tries best to get sales in various ways. At last they lie customers and management to
make a good sale and increase their commissions. So this way employees are not always the
reason to most unethical actions.
For Example, Department head gives a business executive to close 10 sale orders end of the
day. To achieve that goal some BA become tense and unhappy as it is a hard target to achieve.

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 So the Business analyst tries get the sale order in unethical way lying customers offering
unrealistic profits and rewards. Same time this will lead to damage company reputation
because the customer was cheated and doesn’t receive mentioned rewards. Next time customer
won’t buy products from the company neither recommends the company to his colleagues.
(Mintz D ,2019).

3.3 . Personal Traits

There are characteristics of people in the company. so their daily routine and practices can
conflict with the code of ethics.
For an example, a religion has a prayer time on Friday and they can leave office and attend
religious event. They are excused for specific time period to follow their religious activities.
But usual its 8-hour work hours for the company.
Also there are people who like to spend leisure doing personal things during working hours.
Even Managers use their powers to spend time on private tasks. So it has become harder to
inspire and advise the staff members as they always see unethical behavior of Managers.
Most of Manager level employees doesn’t follow code of ethics misusing their posts, so it’s
harder to keep other staff in line. In Companies most of the problem have rose due to unethical
actions. To keep employees in circle of ethics company has to educate from the manager level
employees. When Mangers and department headers becomes more professional, morale of staff
employees can be enhanced. Most of employees with power of their position they blame for
their own mistakes to other workers and demote lower level workforce. So the employee loss
faith on company. Unhappy employees will directly affect the profits of the company.
Unsatisfied employees work slow and doesn’t provide value service per hour. So the company
suffer the circumstance of unethical behavior of managers. (CODE OF BUSINESS
CONDUCT AND ETHICS, 2019)

3.3.Waste Time and Resources

Most employees report late to work in the morning and even mark early time in the attendance
reports to avoid salary deduction. Even a task is assigned, employees tends spend their time on
talking with co-workers, doing personal works, roaming around social media sites spending time
leisurely at the office hours postponing tasks given. This is critical unethical behavior but
unfortunately can be seen in organizations and companies. Taking lunch hour for few hours
spending time with co-workers and even smoking in the working hours can be seen in working
systems. And some employees leave office for personal matters without marking in attendance
reports also leave early from work without permission which is unethical behavior can be seen
even from managers. Usage of company resources such as vehicles and office accessories, use
mobile phones for personal task has become a habit for employees. This unethical behavior are
real challenges to build an ethical workforce in company. (Garfinkle. Joel, 2005)

3.4. Complains about co-workers

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Employees in company interest to chat about other shortcoming whether they are true or false.
Spreading bad gossips of a co-workers is an unethical behavior and damage employee image
whether matter is true or false same way affects company image as the news spread fast among
people. So employee must not talk bad about others with anyone in the work environment. If
employee thinks there is problem with a co-worker employee must talk with the relevant person
or should mind on his own work. Spreading a gossip of someone directly affect an employee’s
task quality and daily routine. Employee feels pressure and become less effective make the
division inactive around the employee. Employee must act as professionals and limit gossiping
about each other in work environment which destroy both time and relationships. Keep personal
life details and work life separate. This is serious unethical behavior must be eliminating in the
code of ethics. Respect each other and minding own works must be practice by employees.
(Stanwick and D. Stanwick, 2009)
Commented [WU3]: Where you identified below,

1.The challenges and issues the organization faces or could face

2. The challenges in building of an ethical workforce
4. Solutions and Changes 3. The needed changes and approaches in the organization that is
required to
Best solutions to build ethical workforce in United Motors Company. ensure that staff behave in an ethical manner.
4. Provide an appropriate conclusion of your study conceptualizing
4.1.Take Responsibility the new
findings through your work.
Take full responsibility for own works is an important factor when it comes to workplace ethics.
Commented [WU4]: Can’t find answer here
Being able to take charge in critical situations and find solutions for the problem is the expected
ethical behavior from employee rather than find better opportunities for themselves during the
situation. From Management Level to Lowest level staff must be responsible for their works so
no will treat badly and reward unfairly.
Also being present at time for work and leave work at correct time is most expected behavior
from an employee. Employee should not give false details of attendance and working time.
Each branch employer must keep tight work schedule to keep employees take the job seriously.
This will increase the productivity of the company. Also develop customer’s trust on company
and they tend to buy more product and services and become loyal customers of company. (
Garfinkle. Joel, 2005)

4.2.Team Work
“In the business environment nearly all individuals within an organization will belong to one or
more groups or teams. A team is a set of people with a range of different skills who will ideally
have objectives that contribute to the overall corporate strategy of the business. They will usually
have somebody who is identified as the team leader.” (Using teamwork to build a better
workplace A Chartered Management Institute case study, 2019). Employees work as team is
most beneficial to the company in various ways. Each unit, each department each branch, from
smallest team to largest team of company must work in harmony to achieve a common goal.
Company without team work practice, company tends to lost in sales. Due to problems arises
between team members So the rather than going to one goal and members fights each other for
personal matters and also try to fulfill their personal needs. Company must encourage employees

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to work as a team. Understand each other, respect others, help and support in work are most
important to build a good team.
When employees work as a unit, they work towards a common goal. Providing solutions,
researching, giving suggestions to the problem they face together will make the team find
solutions faster and they can also find the best solution for the problem rather than single person
decides. When employees work as team they always take care of each other’s, they won’t let
anyone get any wrong action, because whole team might fail due to one mistake from a member.
Encouraging team concept in company is really beneficial to the company and most successful
strategy to succeed in business. For the success of the company team work is most required skill
should be developed among employees and company must educate employees via seminars
workshop on team work. (Wormley R, 2019)

4.3.Dedication
Without dedication a company cannot succeed just by completing tasks. Each task need to be
completed with dedication. For a task to be success employee must give their best. Task
shouldn’t be done just as another assigned work but as taking one steps ahead for the success of
the company. Committing to the assigned work and see the best solution for the problem without
seeking for personal gain from the situation is a good practice.
At the end of the day employee can be happy about the completed tasks he has done with
dedication. This work ethic from a manager often inspire co-workers to work hard. Positive
attitude employees bring the company lots of luck and profits. So even when hiring people
human resource professionals must be interested very positive people. They always know what
action to be taken, always have a backup plan, not discouraging from simple break down.
(Stanwick and D. Stanwick, 2009)

4.4.Confidentiality
Data and Information inside the company must not be shared with outside persons expose to
public. Information of products and services must not sell to any competitive company.
Employees always bound to a responsibility to keep company’s information safe.
Information entrusted to an employee must be protected.
Customers, distributors and product information and non- public information such as trade
secrets, trademarks, patents, records, databases, employee medical information, salary details,
employee data, researches, business strategies should not be disclosed to anyone or an outside
entity. Intellectual Property of company can only be disclosed at the request from proper legal
authorities. Electronic devices that stores company devices must be kept safe location limiting
access to them by increasing physical security of sources. Also If any information is leaked, the
assigned relevant employee must be held responsible for damage for the company. Therefore,
employees will always be alert of information they are assigned to work with. Also the
information should be kept from separate divisions in position based level. (Mintz D ,2019).

4.5. Fair Dealing

Employee expected to do sales in fair manner with customers, competitors and distributors.

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Taking advantage of customers through concealment, manipulation and other unfair dealing
practice should be avoided.
Taking bribes and selling companies assets, products and services are punishable by the law. So
employees must be faithful to company. Therefor company need not to put any employee in front
of legal authorities. Managing employees across the country is a huge work for company owners
so the mangers in branches must be fair and perform ethical actions and be an example to staff
under them.
Bribing is like a cancer spreading through companies and destroying company image and
bankrupt. Making proper rules and regulations and keeping a well updated accounting records
will avoid such unethical actions.

4.6.Create a Code of Ethics Document

Preparing policies to follow by employee have best response to unethical actions. Those policies
must state clearly to employee what is allowed to do and what is not as an employee of the
company. Also the document should be included how to report unethical actions to relevant
divisions and details of penalties for broken rules of policies. Employers demand to employees to
follow the set of rules and policies in the office environment. If an employee violates rules and
regulations and perform unethical behavior employers and human resource officer have to take
action as per the code of ethics. Considering the nature of unethical actions employer can give
warnings. For unethical actions which damage company reputation, destroy company assets or
loss company money by an employee during the work are some of unethical actions that need to
take actions and punish according to the code of ethics. Firing an employee, charging fine or sue
the employees are some of them actions can be taken by employers for critical violations of code
of ethics and policies. (Mintz D ,2019).

4.7.Employee Reporting
Encourage employee speak up and report unethical behavior in the company. Resources show
that reporting have increase 65%. Report to supervisor, Internal Audit, HR of any suspected
unethical behaviors, violations of code external legal & regulatory requirements. 1 employee out
of 5 employee face issues at the work. To avoid consequence reporting should be safe and
discreet. If possible anonymous report system is can be developed to keep inside company and
launch necessary background checks and take action.

4.8.Set Realistic Goals

Tension gives employees need to find the easiest and fastest way out. It can be an unethical
action. Employers must not give pressure by giving impossible goals to achieve for the team
specially for the sale teams. Give employees time and peace of mind to complete the tasks in
time with better solutions. Deadline should not be too tight and access to necessary resources
must be supplied to each division. Satisfied and happy employees developed a pleasant
environment in the company where it will directly affect the success of company. When
employees work with less tension they treat others more friendly and kindly. (Mintz D ,2019).

4.9.Be an Example

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Management should perform ethical behavior at first and be an example to the other levels
employees. Without management being ethical its hard make the other co-workers to have
ethical behavior because they can always point out unethical behaviors of up management. And
without punishing um management first they can argue it’s unfair to take action only on them
while management violate company policies with power of their positions. (Stanwick and D.
Stanwick, 2009)

4.10. Divide and Assign

Hand over the work based on skills of employees so the employee expert in selected area of
work. So employee doesn’t make much mistakes on work and each team member complete their
task to achieve common goal. For example, Employee 1 - Enter data into electronic sheets.
Employee 2 - Create Database from Data Sheets. When each employee expert in separate
sections they can work faster and increase productivity and save time and cost. (Thukral Arun,
2018)

4.11. Practice Persistence

Basement for good ethic is persistence. Employee should be trained to work on given task
without broken concentration. Employee must have starting motivation during the task to the end
of the task. Human normal behavior is that they loss interest on same task during the process. To
avoid this tiredness of the work employers, managers can motivate employees periodically to
encourage them via events, workshops, conferences, speeches, books, music etc. (Stanwick and
D. Stanwick, 2009)

4.12. Habit of do something always

Train employees not to stop just by completing assigned tasks. After completing assigned work
find task that is beneficial to company. Taking brake as necessary and continue providing service
to company in work time being productive rather than wasting time on personal matters or
unnecessary chats with co-workers. As soon as Employees get free time they tend to chat with
co-workers and complaining about others, gossiping, making fun of others just wasting company
working hours. Employees who are inactive and slow working make the office look like a boring
place and new employees adapt to the same behavior. And same behavior can be adapting by
other new employees building unethical workforce. As the companying paying employees for
the working hours for employees, employees must be faithful to company and spend their
working hours beneficial to company. When employees spend their time work on task, it will
attract more customers, also increase productivity of company, save lots of cost and resources.
Being efficient will move the company forward, popular among customers and distributors for
better service, developing customer satisfaction. (Halvorson, C, 2019).

4.13. Reward Employees

Prepare a system to reward employees on no of task completed per months. In this method
employees will work hard. Employees will be experts in their fields doing many task as much as
they can without wasting their valuable time. Also they will be able learn more in their fields

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without wasting their valuable time. According to reward system company can identify best
employees of the year and promote them. (Singer and Bak, 2017)

4.13.Get feedback from employees

Get feedback from employees to make policies and rules. They know better than anyone how the
system works. When employees suggest rules and regulation they know that they have to follow
them. While making plan each employee from different levels, different division are having
different experience which may be employer doesn’t notice. So asking employee of their opinion
of ethics to be followed by every co-worker will make the document more successful.

4.14.Give Feedback on employee performances

Employers can give feedback to employees on their performance. Employees need to know their
performance on tasks to get promotions and specially for self-satisfaction. When employee can
see that company grade their work performances they feel satisfy and happy that their month’s
work has been noted by someone.

4.15. Keep personal life and work apart

Employees must keep their personal life details to themselves also should not find other’s
shortcomings. Secrets and personal details shouldn’t expose to co-workers or later they can use
those details against other person to get advantages. Also Spreading gossiping for personal gain
must be stopped by the code of ethics. Employees must be advised to not to pay attention on
gossips and pay attention on personal short coming and fix themselves rather than find others
personal matters. (Potthast and Panza, 2010)

Above solutions for unethical behavior will not only build an ethical workforce but also
strengthen the employee and employer relationship. By establishing ethical workforce will
mostly benefit the employee in many ways. Such as develop faith between co-workers will
reduce tension from work, supporting each other for success without any personal agendas will
help each employee go success ladder together.

Conclusion

Human Resource Management and Organization Ethics are important fields in global business
environment. This Subject introduces fundamentals of organizational behavior and management.
It includes team behavior, communication, leadership, individual behavior, motivation, ethics,
decision making, social responsibility, power and politics. Educate people how an organization
or a company should be managed explaining fundamental organizational behavior and needed
skills to operate a business and other professions effectively. Educate employees how an ethical
workforce can be developed. United Motors company, which will operate under good ethics
soon achieve success and strong customer base. By applying above solutions building an ethical
workforce will be much easier and faster. Challenges, United Motors Lanka Company have to

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face while applying new ethics on the employees must be handled wisely. Employer must be
smart enough to treat every employee same way as per the code of ethics or else employees
begun to point out the shortcoming of management. Manger, Human Resource Professional,
technician or cleaner in United Motors must follow this codes of ethics and employee have
responsibility to take action on misconduct the rules and policies with the help of legal
authorities. These rules and regulations exist only for keeping relationship between employer and
employee. Code of conduct or ethics are developed to guide the expected actions and behavior of
employee. Through guidance of code of ethics, employee behave ethically both in office
environment or at home. Code of ethics are not just rules and policies they are a guidance to
spend time in productive way for both employee and employer.

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