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6-30 Ethics & Social Responsibility [CH 6

Responsibilities of Company Personnel
While the Hawthorne studies of 1927-1933 showed the value of paying attention to
employees, businesses are finding that workers—and communities—increasingly have
expectations of the firm that exceed the paycheck or providing employment for
members of the community. Employees expect a safe work environment, fair
compensation and remuneration for their work, and equal opportunities. Employees
want to be informed about the business of the company they work for, and expect
managers to be responsive to problems or complaints. The increased role for
businesses is evolving as the workplace becomes a center of life for many people,
augmenting more traditional institutions such as church, social groups, and school.
Employees have a responsibility to their employer: Be honest, be productive, take
care of personal affairs on their own time. Employees must possess a work ethic which
includes showing up to work on time, being dressed appropriately for the job and tasks
they perform, represent the firm favorably to the public, and to conduct themselves in
a professional manner. Employees must be skilled, and when new skills are required,
be willing and dutiful to obtain them. Some companies encourage their employees to
continue their education and acquire marketable skills by going to school. In some
cases, companies help fund the education with an expected return on their investment.
When a company does not offer this type of benefit, the employee must still be
willing to educate themselves at their own expense as that gives them current
marketable skills to be traded upon.

Hawthorne studies: Safe work environment
The original purpose of Congress passed in 1970 the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which created
the Hawthorne studies the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Charged with ensuring
was to examine how safe working conditions, OSHA has established many standards that employers must
different aspects of the comply with. OSHA is directed at all non-government work places and also exempts
work environment, such those covered by specific employment acts such as the Coal Mine Health and Safety
as lighting, the timing of Act. Under OSHA regulations, firms failing to protect the health of the employee and
breaks, and the length of
the workday, had on provide a safe and healthful work environment may be criminally liable.
worker productivity. Business recognizes that responsibility for employee safety rests with them and not
a government agency. They adopt and carry out their own health and safety training
programs all the while balancing between keeping the workplace safe and improving
work site efficiency.

Ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity
Employees expect to be treated equally in the workplace. The Civil Rights Act
(1964) ruled that discriminatory practices are illegal. Title VII of the act prohibits
discrimination in employment: Equal employment opportunity guarantees that
regardless of age, race, gender, religion, or national origin, all applicants have the
same opportunity. To police this part of the act, the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) was established. This federal commission was created to
increase job opportunities for women and minorities and to assist in ending job

discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in any personnel
Equal Employment action. Minorities defined by the EEOC include:
Opportunity  Black (not of Hispanic origin)
Commission  Hispanic
(EEOC) Federal  Asian or Pacific Islander
commission created to  American Indian or Alaskan Native
increase job
opportunities for women The EEOC can file legal challenges against companies that may be discriminating in
and minorities and help its hiring practices. This does mean that employers still do retain the legal right to
eliminate job determine the job qualifications for the positions offered; they may test applicants for
discrimination. required skills, and require that applicants meet the standards the firm has established
in its employment description.
The goals of the EEOC have been strengthened by passage of the Equal Pay Act

(1963), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967), the Equal Employment
Opportunity Act (1972), the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (1978), and numerous
executive orders. Two additional pieces of legislation are designed to provide equal

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