Management Programs

Cover-ups and money laundering, insider trading and outright theft, corrupt practices, and conflicts of interest in the private sector. Misappropriation of public funds, lavish and unauthorized spending, conflicts of interest, and illegal practices in the public sector. It's no small irony that even though business ethics courses are now required in most business schools, more and more organizations are getting into trouble for unethical behavior. Oftentimes, HR professionals are caught squarely in the middle.

In 70% of the organizations surveyed by the Ethics Resource Center, the creation and enforcement of ethics policies and procedures rest within HR. Meanwhile, HR professionals are feeling pressured to compromise their organizations' ethical standards to achieve aggressive business goals. How can private and public-sector entities regain their constituents' trust? What is the "right" thing to do in any given circumstance? Explore the ethical considerations that weave through the tapestry of HR systems, including those that support:

• Hiring (staffing/selection)
• Performance management
• Compensation and reward systems
• Records management
• Downsizing/rightsizing/layoffs
• Public trust considerations and resource allocation
• Vendor relationships and contract compliance
• Training programs
• Designing, managing, and enforcing ethics initiatives

Key Topics

• Individual vs. business ethics
• Corporate compliance and legal issues
• Addressing the culture-value gap
• The complexity of creating ethical standards within global organizations
• Organizational responsibility (social, community, and environmental concerns)
• Ethics in action (what would you do if?)
• Key questions to determine if your decisions are ethical
• Tips for designing effective ethics initiatives

Special Features

Work in small groups on multilayered case studies and report out to a guest speaker who will challenge you to assess the ethical dilemmas within typical HR-related situations.

Who Will Benefit

HR professionals at all levels and in all disciplines

Instructor

Susan F. Alevas