Running head: FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
SAMPLE ONLY FROM DEIRDRE MAULTSAID. NOT FOR
CIRCULATION.
Final Ethics Reflection
The Importance of Tone and Expression at Work
Student A
3rd year class
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
Table of Contents
Cover Memo .................................................................................................................................. 1
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3
Context/Background .................................................................................................................. 3
Purpose ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Scope ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Research Methods Used ............................................................................................................. 3
Main Message ............................................................................................................................. 3
Discussion....................................................................................................................................... 4
Background ................................................................................................................................ 4
Potential Ethical Dilemmas ....................................................................................................... 4
Proposed Solution ...................................................................................................................... 5
Action Plan ................................................................................................................................. 6
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 8
References ...................................................................................................................................... 9
Appendices ................................................................................................................................... 10
Appendix A: Figure 1. 8 Reasons to Implement a Harassment Training Program in the
Workplace. ................................................................................................................................ 10
Appendix B: Figure 2. Screenshot Image of The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills
Development Website. .............................................................................................................. 11
Appendix C: Figure 3. Image of Student A’s Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4
Steps Certificate of Completion. .............................................................................................. 12
Appendix D: Interview Notes with a Colleague ...................................................................... 13
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
1
Cover Memo
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
Students of INFO 3110
Student A
December 6th, 2022
The Importance of Tone and Expression at Work
It is important how you use your tone and expression in the workplace. Using anger,
shaming, blaming, or shouting in order to deal with problems in the workplace can lead to ethical
dilemmas for you and your team. With that being said, this report will discuss the different types
of ethical dilemmas that will arise correlating to the subject.
This report will also include a recommendation to include a harassment training program
at one’s workplace, which will involve the whole team. It offers a detailed look into why this
recommendation is so important, especially regarding this topic, as well as advice for how to
take full advantage of the recommendation.
Thanks to information I received through academic research, I have been able to discover
how important it is to understand ways our tone and expression can affect others both in a
positive and negative way. I am sure you will find this report useful and maybe someday you
will realize how the ethical dilemmas pointed out in this report may arise in your workplace, as
well as implementing the suggestion found in this report to your own workplace.
I will be using my own workplace as a reference to further explain what type of ethical
dilemmas will rise in a workplace if problems and crises are dealt with by anger, shaming,
blaming, or shouting.
Again, implementing a harassment training program specifically for communication is
key for a positive workplace environment.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me at any time via email at
student.a@email.kpu.ca.
Sincerely,
Student A
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
2
Executive Summary
Retail Company Store is a Canadian born lifestyle brand headquartered in Toronto. The
retail clothing store company was established in 2008. Retail Company Store designs and
manufactures premium clothing, outerwear, accessories, and home goods inspired by its
Canadian roots. The company currently holds 7 stores located in Canada, 3 stores located in the
United States, and 2 other stores located in the UK and Japan. I currently work for the Retail
Company store located in Burnaby, British Columbia. Furthermore, as the holidays approach,
customers will be increasing their gift and clothing demand. This means that working hours will
increase, and customer interactions will be more frequent than before. A variety of tasks by
employees will need to be done in a more efficient manner. For instance, multitasking, an
employee will have to juggle between customers to find what they are looking for and making
sure we have it in stock in the inventory room. This can lead to miscommunication between
colleagues which can further lead to arguments down the road.
A good use of communication between colleagues is a crucial part of a retail team’s
success. Otherwise, as said in the previous paragraph, miscommunication can lead to heated
arguments which may further lead to the use of anger, shaming, blaming, and shouting in order
to resolve these arguments. This report will discuss what ethical issues may happen in a
workplace if problems and crises are dealt with by anger, shaming, blaming, and shouting. The
body of the report will go over three potential ethical issues which include, toxic workplace
culture, inappropriate and harassing environment, and poor work morale. An approach of
conducting primary and secondary research has been used to formulate much of the information
within this report. All sources have been cited and listed on the reference page at the end of the
report. The conclusion of the report will compose a recommendation of a new harassment
training program that will help decrease the use of unethical behaviours that has been discussed
in the report.
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
3
Introduction
Context/Background
Retail Company Store is a Canadian born lifestyle brand headquartered in Toronto. Retail
Company Store designs and manufactures premium clothing, outerwear, accessories, and home
goods inspired by its Canadian roots. The company currently holds 7 stores located in Canada, 3
stores located in the United States, and 2 other stores located in the UK and Japan. The priority
of their retail stores is to effectively distribute their merchandise to current and potential
customers through positive customer service.
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to showcase the importance of the use of tone and
expression in the workplace.
Scope
This report will cover the negative side effects of bringing anger, shaming, blaming, and
shouting in order to solve problems in a workplace. Ultimately, recommending a harassment
training program to decline the use of these unethical behaviours discussed in this report.
Research Methods Used
I am currently employed at the Retail Company Store as a retail sales associate. My
experience and responsibilities at work has allowed me to gain insight on store procedures, and
the current work environment. For the purposes of this report, I have conducted primary and
secondary research. This includes an in-person interview with a colleague of mine, as well as
research findings and discussion from secondary and primary sources.
Main Message
It is important how you use your tone and expression in the workplace. Using anger,
shaming, blaming, or shouting in order to deal with problems in the workplace can lead to ethical
dilemmas for you and your team. The best way to deal with problems in a workplace is by
communication and understanding the unethical behaviours that might take place and how to
deal with them which is why the recommendation in this report would benefit a workplace with
these unethical issues.
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
4
Discussion
Background
Retail Company Store is a Canadian born lifestyle brand headquartered in Toronto. Retail
Company Store designs and manufactures premium clothing, outerwear, accessories, and home
goods inspired by its Canadian roots. The company currently holds 7 stores located in Canada, 3
stores located in the United States, and 2 other stores located in the UK and Japan. The priority
of their retail stores is to effectively distribute their merchandise to current and potential
customers through positive customer service. The area of focus for this report is the
communication between colleagues when a problem occurs at the store. The store I currently
work at has historically been busier in the winter months due to the holidays and Christmas gift
shopping. As a result, the task of each employee significantly increases, and this is when strong
communication is essential especially in regard to facing a problem. An interview was conducted
with one of my colleagues on the general topic of using the correct tone and expression while
be quotes or
for
communicating with other employees at work. (See Appendix D). Deirdre: There shouldan
d reference
s, citation
ith
paraphrase
appendix w
d ALSO an
interview an
tes.
interview no
Potential Ethical Dilemmas
“Most people spend a great deal of their weekdays at their offices or job sites. It’s not
surprising, then, that employees face ethical dilemmas there” (Rafner, 2019). In particular, the
use of anger, shaming, blaming, and shouting when dealt with a problem in the workplace can
lead to further ethical issues. These potential ethical issues include toxic workplace culture,
inappropriate and harassing environment, and poor work morale.
(Student A, 2022)
First of all, narcissistic behaviour, abrasive, and combative leadership, threatening actions
by employees are all characteristics of a toxic work environment. A toxic working environment
frequently exhibits a physical and mental imbalance (Rasool et al., 2021). With that being said,
the research done according to the article “How Toxic Workplace Environment Effects the
Employee Engagement: The Mediating Role of Organizational Support and Employee
Wellbeing” confirms that “a toxic workplace environment has a negative impact on employee
engagement” (Rasool et al., 2021). This negative impact on employee engagement can lead to
inconsistent service quality and will likely cause customer frustration.
(Student A, 2022)
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
5
Secondly, inappropriate, and harassing workplace environment or workplace bullying is
one of the most impactful deviant actions that affects workers’ personal health and work
experience (Stouten et al., 2010). Additionally, some employees that have experienced
workplace bullying of their own may make excuses to avoid working with certain employees
which can prevail to negative scheduling and make employees frustrated about their working
hours. Furthermore, the three-way model of workplace bullying has proven that the most
significant determinants of bullying are personal traits of the employee and characteristics of the
work environment (Stouten et al., 2010). Similarly, relating to a toxic workplace environment
discussed in the previous paragraph. As a result, the store loses sales because of scheduling
conflicts requested by certain employees which creates less employees on the floor to help
customers who come in.
(Google, 2022)
Lastly, we behave when we are angry, sometimes in negative ways and other times in
positive and constructive ones. It can motivate us to seize a turning point, get over our fear, and
muster the confidence to act or speak in accordance with what is right (Beasley, n.d). Although,
the use of anger especially in regard to dealing with a problem at work can lead to employees
having a poor work morale. This will then negatively effect employees motivation to do their job
or even go to work. These unfortunate attitudes towards work will eventually cause the company
to reconsider who they should bring into their team and potentially replace experienced
employees with new hires which may cost the company more.
Proposed Solution
Why implement a harassment training program in the first place? Is it necessary? What
type of training does it involve? Is it mandatory? Based on a blog post published by Everfi, there
are many reasons why harassment training is important to every workplace. Progressive
businesses are starting to realise that the best justifications for workplace harassment training
revolve on preventing employees from harassment, fostering a welcoming and safe work
environment for everyone, and fostering a culture of respect among coworkers (“Everfi, n.d.).
Please refer to the figure below to see why workplaces should implement a harassment training
program.
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
6
Image created by Student A, data retrieved from Everfi Blog, “Why Harassment Training is
Important for Your Organization”. See Appendix A.
(Student A, 2022)
Figure 1. 8 Reasons to Implement a Harassment Training Program in the Workplace.
Additionally, further research taken about this topic, results in the article “Outcomes of a
Proximal Workplace Intervention Against Workplace Bullying and Harassment: A Protocol for a
Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial Among Norwegian Industrial Workers” will be crucial in
determining whether or not bystander-focused workplace harassment interventions can
effectively combat workplace bullying. This is especially true when considering the importance
of bystander awareness, bystander self-efficacy, and bystander behavioural control in relation to
the prevalence of bullying and harassment in the workplace (Einarsen et al., 2020). With that
being said, the implementation of a harassment training program in the workplace will benefit
the workplace by creating a safer environment by decreasing the amount of workplace bullying
happening in the store.
Action Plan
My recommendation to the company is to create a mandatory harassment training
program for all current and future employees. This training program can be done alone at your
own time which will make the employee read and watch videos about the different kinds of
harassments in the workplace and how to prevent them. There will be a quiz for each section and
the employee must score a grade of 100% in order to qualify for a certification of completion.
Furthermore, Ontario’s “Ministry of Labour, Worker Health and Safety Training” is an example
of what the harassment training program might look like. Please refer to the figure below to see
what the harassment training program might look like.
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
7
Screenshot Image taken by Student A, data retrieved from Labour Government of Ontario
Website, “Worker Health and Safety Awareness”. See Appendix B.
(Ontario, 2022)
Figure 2. Screenshot Image of The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development Website.
Accordingly, in order to receive proof of completion of the program, the program must
distribute a certification of completion once the employee has finished the harassment training.
The certificate may look similar to the one that “The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills
Development” offers once completed. Refer to the figure below to see what the completion
certificate may look like.
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
8
Image taken from Student A’s Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps Certificate of
Completion. See Appendix C.
Student A
(Student A, 2022)
Figure 3. Image of Student A’s Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps Certificate of Completion.
Conclusion
Retail Company Store is approaching the busiest time of the year for sales. It is essential
to the success of the organization that a positive tone and expression is used for communication
between colleagues. Having unnecessary negative comments about each other, harassment, and
poor work morale will decrease the productivity at work and further reduce sales for the
company. Therefore, implementing a harassment training program for all employees will not
only reduce the negative factors mentioned above but make the environment a much safe place
to work in.
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
9
References
Beasley, B. (n.d). Getting angry at work can help you stand up for what’s right. Retrieved from
https://ethicalleadership.nd.edu/news/moral-anger-what-it-is-and-how-it-can-help-youdo-the-right-thing/
Colleague (2022). Interview
Einarsen, K., Nielsen, M. B., Hetland, J., Olsen, O. K., Zahlquist, L., Mikkelsen, E. G., Koløen,
J., & Einarsen, S. V. (2020). Outcomes of a proximal workplace intervention against
workplace bullying and harassment: A protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial
among norwegian industrial workers. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 20132013. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02013
Everfi, (n.d). Why Harassment Training is Important for Your Organization. Retrieved from
https://everfi.com/blog/workplace-training/why-harassment-training-is-important-foryour-organization/
Google Images, (n.d). Retrieved from https://us.123rf.com/450wm/alex1618/alex16182006/alex
1618200600762/alex1618200600762.jpg?ver=6
Ministry of Labour, Ontario (n.d.). Worker Health and Safety Awareness. The Ministry of
Labour, Training and Skills Development Website.
Rafner, D. (2019, February). Common Ethical Workplace Dilemmas. Retrieved from
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/common-workplace-ethics-violations-2736.html
Rasool, S. F., Wang, M., Tang, M., Saeed, A., & Iqbal, J. (2021). How toxic workplace
environment effects the employee engagement: The mediating role of organizational
support and employee wellbeing. International Journal of Environmental Research and
Public Health, 18(5), 2294. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052294
Stouten, J., Baillien, E., Van den Broeck, A., Camps, J., De Witte, H., & Euwema, M. (2010).
Discouraging bullying: The role of ethical leadership and its effects on the work
environment. Journal of Business Ethics, 95(Suppl 1), 17-27.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-011-0797-x
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
10
Appendices
Appendix A: Figure 1. 8 Reasons to Implement a Harassment Training Program in the
Workplace.
(Student A, 2022)
Data retrieved from Everfi Blog, “Why Harassment Training is Important for Your
Organization”.
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
11
Appendix B: Figure 2. Screenshot Image of The Ministry of Labour, Training and
Skills Development Website.
Screenshot Image taken by Student A, data retrieved from Ministry of Labour of Ontario
Website, “Worker Health and Safety Awareness”.
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
12
Appendix C: Figure 3. Image of Student A’s Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4
Steps Certificate of Completion.
Student A
FINAL ETHICS REFLECTION
13
Appendix D: Interview Notes with a Colleague
Student A: Do you think we work in a toxic environment?
Colleague: No, not at all. We are a pretty tight group especially considering how small of a team
we are. Everyone gets along with each other, and we are all pretty much around the same age.
Student A: How would you respond if you witness another colleague getting yelled at by a
manager when a problem occurs?
Student A: I wouldn’t interrupt it until physical altercations occur, but I would ask further
questions after the argument has finished from both the manager and the colleague who got
yelled at.
Student A: What would you do if there’s rumours being passed around in the workplace
regarding a significant problem blaming it on you?
Colleague: I would first address if the rumours are true and if not I would ask why to spread
those rumours in the first place. There isn’t many of us that work here so it’s easier to track down
who spreads rumours here.
Student A: Does shaming other colleagues regarding a problem in the workplace often happen?
If so, did you do anything about it?
Colleague: No rarely, there was one incident where one of the old employees who doesn’t work
here anymore let a customer steal a product of ours. We used that example to make sure new
employees are aware that could happen. So, I’m not exactly sure if that’s shaming but yeah
shaming doesn’t happen here to let others feel down.
Student A: Do you think it’s a good idea to implement a harassment training program in the
workplace at our store? Why? Why not?
Colleague: I believe every workplace should implement a harassment training program, I’m
pretty sure it’s the Law here in British Columbia. Retail Company Store should make changes
and implement a mandatory harassment training program not only because it’s the Law here, but
it will let everyone that works here know what harassment looks like and how to prevent it. It
will make use feel safer to work.
Interview conducted 2022