Work ethics: what it is, functions and examples

Let's see what work ethics is and why it is important in the world of work and in society.

When carrying out a profession it is essential to act under a series of ethical and moral rules that guarantee the respect towards people on the part of the worker, thinking more in the common benefit than in the individual one.

Work ethics is the set of rules that establish what is right and what is wrong in the development of a certain professional activity. Normally, breaking them only implies the loss of prestige and confidence in the worker who has not followed them, although there are cases in which moral faults can imply penal measures.

Let's take a closer look at what work ethics are and to see some of the principles on which it is based.

What is work ethics?

Work ethics, also known as professional ethics, refers to the set of norms and values that serve to improve the set of norms and values that serve to improve the development of activities in a job.. These standards serve as ethical guidelines that determine what is appropriate and what is not in a work context.

In most cases, the work ethic of each job is based on the universal values that govern human ethics, i.e., how to behave respectfully with others and with oneself.

Ethics can be defined as the discipline that studies the behavior of human beings under norms that promote social harmony.. Based on this, we can understand that work ethics is fundamental in any worker, since it implies the practice of values such as responsibility, honesty, constancy, justice, discretion and punctuality, to name a few.

Sometimes conflicts arise when there are discrepancies between professional ethics and personal ethics. In these cases, individuals can take action, such as conscientious objection if they believe they are not acting correctly or what the job is asking them to do clashes head-on with their own beliefs.

What is professional ethics for?

Work ethics determines how a professional should act in a given situation.. Workers in virtually any profession face all kinds of situations on a daily basis, including some that require making moral decisions.

Work ethics foresees the possible errors that may occur and determines what is right and what is wrong, both morally and ethically in the exercise of a profession. Ethics of this type seeks to favor the common good over the particular interests of each employee..

Many professions and organizations have their own codes of ethics, which explicitly detail the values that must be respected in the workplace. These norms must be known by all the workers of the professional field in question.

Characteristics of professional ethics

We can highlight several characteristics of professional ethics.

1. It reflects the values of a profession.

As we said, work ethics is based on a set of values.. Its purpose is to be a guide for professionals in the exercise of their jobs and to ensure that their actions benefit both the profession and society. Ethical acts imply responsibility.

2. Sometimes specified in ethical codes

Many professions and organizations have a code of ethics. The purpose of these is to make sure that their professionals know with certainty what is right and what is wrong in the exercise of their profession.The objective of these is to make sure that their professionals know with certainty what is right and what is wrong in the exercise of their profession, since these codes specify the expected and unexpected conducts of that work.

3. It does not imply coercion

Not following the norms established within the work ethic is free of physical punishments, sanctions and fines, although it will always involve some loss of time.However, it will always entail a certain loss of prestige, trust and respect for the unethical professional.

This is different from legal rules, which do imply some kind of penalty in case of violation. However, when these ethical rules are specified in the code of ethics, they can be subject to punishable measures.

4. It is based on duties and rights

Work ethics governs the behavior of those who carry out a profession.. This ethics implies duties, obligations that must be fulfilled by professionals, but also rights, since if a professional maintains that there is something that does not respond to what he considers correct in his ethical thinking, he should not be forced to do it.

The importance of this type of ethics

Work ethics are intended to ensure that values are respected among the members of a profession. It is fundamental to follow this type of ethics, because with it certain social and moral norms that promote the harmony and social cohesion are fulfilled. Respecting ethical and moral values and behaviors contributes to the development of fairer and more egalitarian societies..

Professional ethics are very important in professions whose decisions affect the lives of other people, as is the case of health professions, such as physicians and clinical psychologists, or others that work with sensitive information, such as journalists or lawyers. In their ethical codes, truth, honesty and justice are paramount, but also professional secrecy and confidentiality.

Within a company, work ethic fosters harmony among its members and with other organizations and clients.. Organizations benefit greatly from the fact that all their members know and act according to certain values and standards, generating trust in clients and the community.

Types of professional ethics

As mentioned above, each profession has its own work ethic. Below we will take a look at the work ethics of some well-known jobs.

1. Psychology

Psychologists have their own codes of ethics with standards designed for the well-being of patients. Some of the values of psychology are responsibility, confidentiality and honesty..

2. Teaching

For teachers, it is of vital importance to respect and develop certain ethical principles, since their profession involves a great social responsibility in transmitting knowledge to others..

3. Advocacy

In the legal profession, fundamental values such as justice, honesty, diligence, loyalty and, above all, professional secrecy towards the client are put into practice. It also points out the right to freedom of defense and expression.

4. Medicine

The medical profession is regulated by a series of values and behaviors, encompassed within the Hippocratic Oath, which every medical professionalthat every medical professional is bound by. Some of its principles of work ethics are respect for life and human rights, honest conduct during the care of people and the protection of their integrity in the face of any health problem.

5. Journalism

Communication professionals must base their professional activity on values such as truth, accuracy when providing information, respect, tolerance and pluralism.

6. Engineering

Engineers should pay special attention to safety, public welfare and the promotion of sustainable development.. These professionals may only provide services in areas of their competence and their public statements must be truthful and objective. They must not accept bribes and show zero tolerance for fraud and corruption.

7. Administration

In business administration there are codes that are considered within an ethical framework. Loyalty, diligence, honesty and legality are fundamental ethical values in this profession. are fundamental ethical values in the performance of this profession.

Practical examples in the application of work ethics

Here are a few examples of work ethics.

1. Respect for professional secrecy

Professional secrecy is not disclosing the sources that have provided a certain information. This code is a fundamental aspect in professions such as journalism, psychology and law.

2. Individual rights in the dissemination of information

These rights include the right not to disseminate information that could endanger the integrity of an individual or violate his or her honor, privacy or self-image.

3. Professional respect

By professional respect, we mean, above all, treating colleagues with respect and fostering a harmonious work environment. fostering an atmosphere of harmony in the workplace..

4. Promoting inclusion in the workplace

Professionals should adopt techniques that contribute to eradicating any type of social injustice and discrimination on the basis of race, nationality, gender, sex, age, race, religion or sexual orientation. discrimination based on race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, social group or age..