Intro to

Work Ethics
Prepared by:

Ms. Anne Beverly Soriano

College Instructor
Ethics
What is it and
how do I get
some?
 “Ethics comes from
the Greek word
➢ Ethos means
character or “ethos”.
characteristic
way of acting.
 “ Morality comes
from the latin
word “moralis”.

• Moralis means custom or manners

ETHICS
- A collection of values and behaviors which people
feel are moral.

- “Ethics” is name given to our values of good behavior.

- An ethic is a principle of correct behavior. appertains

to a person's attitudes, feelings and beliefs about
anything in and out of life.
-It deals with moral principles and social
values.

-It helps us to classify what is good and what is

bad. It tells us to do good things and avoid
doing bad things.

-Ethics helps us to detach good from bad,

right from wrong, fair from unfair, moral and
immoral and proper and improper human
action.
 Question:

How an employee
shows their employer
that they are worth their
paycheck?

Write your answer on a ¼ sheet of paper.

A good work ethics is an
attitude that combines
hard work,
good performance &
dependable results
 What is a work ethics?

• a cultural norm that advocates being personally

accountable and responsible for the work that one does
and is based on a belief that work has intrinsic value.
The term is often applied to characteristics of people,
both at work and at play.
Work ethics is an invisible
employee behavior, noticeable by
its absence.
 Human act and Act of Man
Human Act – action that is carried out
voluntarily, there is a free will of man. Both
intellect and will are present, either good or
bad.

Act of Man – action that is not dependent to

intellect and free will, involuntary.

Morality – from the Greek word Mores, which

mean behavior. Refers to the rightness or
wrongness of the act.
Elements of Human Act
• Knowledge
• Freedom
• Voluntariness

Modifiers of Human Act

▪ If one of these are present, then it is considered as Act of Man

Ignorance
Fear
Violence
Act of Man Essential Qualities

• Involuntary
• Done without knowledge
• Without consent
 Elements Determining Morality
1. The Act itself (object)
- In order to judge the morality of a human act,
it must first consider the act itself. It is the objective
act chosen by the human person. Some acts are in
themselves immoral; other acts are in themselves
moral.

2. Purpose or end
- It is that which the agent intends or wishes to
achieve by his act. An objectively evil act can never
become good by reason of a good end.
3. Circumstances

- “circumstances alter the cases”. Human

act must be judged in the light of circumstances.
An indifferent act may become morally good or
evil through attending circumstances.
Circumstances can make an objectively good act
more good or less good and an objectively evil
act more evil or less evil.
 The Concept of Responsibility

➢ The general principle relating with responsibility

is that whatever hurts the individual or the
institutions necessary for his growth may be
looked upon as an evil in some way. Similarly,
whatever truly promotes the growth of the
individual and the means available to him is
morally good.
1
1
-
0 The Principle of Double Effect
4
-
1
2 ▪ This doctrine says that if doing something
morally good has a morally bad side-effect, it's
ethically OK to do it providing the bad side-effect
wasn't intended. This is true even if you foresaw
that the bad effect would probably happen.
1
1
-
The principle of double effect justifies certain actions
0 that produce “indirectly” certain evil consequences,
4 provided at least four conditions are met :
-
1
2
1. The action, by itself and independently of its
effect, must not be morally evil;

2. The evil effect must not be a means to producing

the good effect;

3. The evil effect is sincerely not intended, but

merely tolerated; and

4. ..there is a proportionate reason for performing

the action, in spite of its evil consequences.
 The Concept of Proportionality

The fourth condition of the principle of double effect

mentions the importance of proportionate reason in
performing a moral action.

Proportionality is to be judged by:

1. The type of goodness or evil involved
2. The urgency of the situation
3. The certainty or probability of the effects
4. The intensity of one’s influence on the effects.
5. The availability of alternate means
 Ethical Concerns in Business

Public concerns about ethical practices

in business usually relate to issues like
embezzlement, accepting bribes, or
poisoning the environment. Such examples
suggest managers problems with ethics
consist of nothing more than violations of
clear-cut, well-defined laws, rules, and codes
of conduct.
 Identifying Ethical Concerns

Many businessmen report that the ethical

dilemmas they face are difficult because
they involve relationships with people
(employees, peers, and bosses) with whom
they have to work and who they are
dependent. The dilemma is further
complicated by the fact that these critical
people may have contrary goals and
competing needs.