3CO03 Core Behaviours for People Professionals Assignment Example

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3CO03 Core Behaviours for People Professionals Assignment Example Question

Case study

You are currently a Junior Associate in People Practice and are working on your CIPD qualification. A local television production company has contacted the Head of your Study Centre to ask for some assistance. They are making a current affairs programme on business issues and ethical practice. They are particularly keen to highlight the role in a People Practice team to help support and promote ethical practice in organisations following a number of well publicized examples of unethical practices and exploitation at work.

They are concerned about the link between ethical practice and the impact on the day-to-day experience of work for members of staff. You suspect that they might be biased and are looking for examples to justify their viewpoint that modern day organisations exploit workers and do not care about their wellbeing at all. The Head of your Study Centre has asked you to prepare an initial briefing paper to help shape the response to the production company.

Task One – Ethical Practice Briefing Paper

The purpose of the briefing paper is to demonstrate the role of HR in practising and promoting professional values, ethics and principles within organisations. The paper should include andaddress the following points:

1. Explain what is meant by ‘ethical principles’ and ‘professional values’, and how these might inform the way people approach their work. (1.1)
2. Identify a piece of legislation and a Code of Practice that supports ethical and professional practice, with examples of how an HR professional can conform to these. (1.2)
3. Explain the importance of ethical behaviour for an HR professional and the potential consequences (personal and professional) for them of unethical behaviour (2.1)
4. Describe how an HR professional would demonstrate a positive and ethical approach to each of the following: (1.3, 2.2)
5. clarifying problems or issues
6. contributing views and opinions
7. working in a team
8. showing sensitivity to others*
9. showing respect for colleagues*

*For the two asterisked bullet points, you should include a work-based or personal example of when you have demonstrated the positive and ethical behaviour you describe. You may use bullet points to add emphasis to your briefing paper and it is expected that you will use headings as well to help guide the reader through.

Your evidence must consist of Briefing document (1,250 words)

Task Two – Self-Reflective Journal

Self-reflection is a valuable means of analysing, identifying and recording how improvements can be made to your professional practice. In this task, you are required to write a reflective journal that considers how you perform at work and in your studies, and how you develop your skills and abilities.

Your task is to write a self-reflective journal, which addresses the following:

1. At the beginning of your journal, summarise different ways a people practice professional can upgrade their knowledge and skills and stay up-to-date with developments in the people profession and wider world of work. This might be informal methods such as discussion and reading through to formal research and development methods. (2.4)
2. Continue your journal with ongoing reflections on your performance and development. Your journal should record (2.5)
3. Examples of your performance (successes or challenges) or issues you have faced. These may be from current or previous work, your studies or personal examples. Give a little detail about each. (This is the WHAT of your reflection.)
4. Your reflections on your performance/response. What was the impact – positive or negative – on you and those around you, such as colleagues, customers, stakeholders, your organisation? (This is the SOWHAT of your reflection and can be the most difficult part as you are asked to think in ways that may be unfamiliar – but it is from this reflective thinking and learning, that you are able to progress to the next step.)-
5. Examples of how you have recognised and accepted your own mistakes, and how you have recognised others’ mistakes whilst showing them empathy. (2.3)
6. The action you will take as a result of your reflections. (This is the NOW WHAT). Based on what you know and feel about the situation, what should happen next? Do you need to learn something new? Do you want to change a process or a procedure? Do others need more training? (Note: the action you take here could form the next example for you to reflect on.)
7. Finally, complete your journal with a short review of how effective you have found this

Reflective Journal approach to your professional development. (2.5)

Your evidence must consist of: Reflective Journal (1,000 words)

3CO03 Core Behaviours for People Professionals Assignment Example Answers

Ethical Practice Briefing Paper   

Business ethics are standards that determine what is morally right or wrong when engaging in business operations. The framework plays a crucial role in companies as it determines their sustainability and efficiency in the long run (Bernstein, 2020).  It also creates a positive corporate image for a firm, thus attracting more customers and investors. In addition, it enhances attainment of a suitable workplace culture, which results in improved job satisfaction. The People Practice team helps in promoting ethical practices in organizations (Manuel & Herron, 2020).  The briefing paper helps to show the association between ethical practice and daily operations of firms.

1.1 Explain what is meant by ‘ethical principles’ and ‘professional values’, and how these might inform the way people approach their work.

Ethical principles, professional values and work approach

• Ethical principles are attributes that guide how people conduct themselves. They help to determine what is fair or unfair and what is right or wrong. These norms also guide individuals in ethical decision-making. An example of an ethical principle is justice. It guides people to treat others in an equitable and fair manner (Varkey, 2021).
• Professional values refer to attitudes and beliefs that guide a particular profession. They determined by the scope and norms of the profession and contribute to the identification of the profession. They include aspects such as integrity, honesty, and responsibility (Yeganeh et al., 2022).

Ethical principles and professional values inform how people approach their work in the following ways:

• They shape relationships in an organization. This feature enables the employees to attain mutual respect which enables them to collaborate positively (Manuel & Herron, 2020).  .
• They provide a framework for decision-making. They create a background for employees to weigh different options and choose a course of action that aligns with their standards.
• They create a sense of identity and purpose. This feature motivates employees to develop a positive workplace culture and cooperate with others, hence creating coordinated work approaches (Manuel & Herron, 2020).  .

1.2 Identify a piece of legislation and a Code of Practice that supports ethical and professional practice, with examples of how an HR professional can conform to these.

Legislation and Code of Practice Supporting Ethical Practice

The Equality Act of 2010 is a law that was enacted to prohibit discrimination. It focused on preventing discrimination in the workplace and the society in general. It has provisions related to work, disability, gender identity, religion, and race.  The act is beneficial as it makes it easier for people to understand their rights, thus improving their protection in different discriminatory situations (Legislation.gov.uk, 2023).

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)’s Employment Statutory Code of Practice is an example of a suitable code of practice that provides ethical standards to organizations. The Code of Practice aims at raising awareness around unlawful ethical practices which lead to discrimination in organizations. From this aspect, it encourages best practices within firms and guides both employers and employees to make suitable ethical decisions (Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2023).

HR professionals can conform to these frameworks via the following ways:

• Letting employees undergo compliance training courses. This act enables the employees to familiarize all issues concerning ethics and professional practices (Manuel & Herron, 2020).  .
• Creating an environment of equality by initiating policies aligning with the frameworks. Implementation of the policies ensures the employees are aware of aspects such as inclusion and diversity in the workplace.
• Ensuring that no applicant is discriminated against during the recruitment process. It increases the employees’ confidence in the organization, thus improving its performance (Manuel & Herron, 2020).  

1.3 Explain the importance of ethical behaviour for an HR professional and the potential consequences (personal and professional) for them of unethical behaviour

Importance of ethical behaviour and consequences of unethical behaviour

             Ethical behavior shapes how HR professionals handle their daily operations. Depiction of this behavior improves the level of credibility and trust that a professional possesses. For instance, a HR professional who is kind to other employees attains a good reputation for their behavior. Many employees will be more willing to collaborate with the individual as they expect to be treated in a kind way (Bernstein, 2020).  Moreover, ethical behavior helps organizations to develop positive corporate cultures. The management is able to devote its resources to support development of ethical procedures and policies. As a result, the employees’ morale in the organization is increased. In addition, ethical behavior reduces the occurrences of financial liabilities. For example, it controls reduction in sales. This feature increases an organization’s capability to retain its customers (Chams & García-Blandón, 2019).

            Basing on the role of ethics in organizations, unethical behavior may have the following consequences:

• Legal issues and lawsuits due to violations of employment laws and practices. This leads to damaged reputation and financial penalties.
• Employee attrition as the workers may choose to leave the organization at a faster rate due to unfair practices. Eventually, the act reduces an organization’s productivity and creativity levels (Paterson & Huang, 2019).
• Destroyed relationships in an organization, leading to reduced engagement among workers. As a result, there is an increase in the number of conflicts in a firm.
• Reduced handling of employees’ welfare due to increase in the levels of discrimination. Employees are likely to experience stress which may affect their personal life.
• It may also lead to feelings of shame, guilt, or regret and reduced levels of self-concept. These make employees to have a reduced sense of purpose in their lives (Paterson & Huang, 2019).

1.3, 2.2 Describe how an HR professional would demonstrate a positive and ethical approach toeach of the following

Clarification of Problems or Issues

            A HR professional would apply open communication when sharing about the problems and issues. Honest expressions will enable one’s colleagues to contribute to the ideas in a constructive manner.  It increases an organization’s capability to propose reliable solutions to issues and problems. In addition, a HR professional needs to avoid promoting their personal agenda by prioritizing the organizational needs (Salas‐Vallina, Alegre, & López‐Cabrales, 2021).

  Contribution of Views and Opinions

 A HR needs to contribute their views and opinions by showing respect to others. Rather than attacking other people’s opinions, one needs to acknowledge their opinions when sharing their personal opinions. An individual also needs to pay attention to others to enhance inclusion when contributing their opinions and views (Blomqvist, Bergdahl, & Hemberg, 2023)..

  Working in a team

A HR professional needs to be collaborative by recognizing the knowledge and skills of other people. It ensures team members complement each other’s capabilities when collaborating. Moreover, professionals need to encourage innovativeness in a team. It increases other people’s contributions to the success of a team. In addition, it is essential to value regular communication with other team members to increase their awareness (Salas‐Vallina, Alegre, & López‐Cabrales, 2021).

Depiction of sensitivity to others

HR professionals can show sensitivity to others by expressing interest and concern for them. In the past, there was a time when I engaged in an argument with a colleague. I realized that I hurt their feelings. I apologized to the individual and promised to handle issues in a better way. I have also been in situations where I collaborated with individuals from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. While some of my colleagues treated some members differently, I noted that everyone deserved to be treated in a positive manner (Blomqvist, Bergdahl, & Hemberg, 2023).

 Depiction of respect for colleagues

One of the fundamental ways that I have utilized to show respect to others is active listening. Through the strategy, my colleagues understand that I respect their opinions and consider them in my decisions. I also show respect by appreciating my colleagues’ efforts. When criticizing negative actions, I usually focus on the issue rather than attacking an individual. These actions have enabled me to maintain a professional atmosphere at the workplace (Blomqvist, Bergdahl, & Hemberg, 2023).

References

Bernstein, A. (2020). Boosting business with ethical behaviour. Journal of Aesthetic Nursing, 9(1), 48-50. https://doi.org/10.12968/joan.2020.9.1.48

Blomqvist, H., Bergdahl, E., & Hemberg, J. (2023). Ethical sensitivity and compassion in home care: Leaders’ views. Nursing Ethics, 30(2), 180-196. https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330221122965

Chams, N., & García-Blandón, J. (2019). On the importance of sustainable human resource management for the adoption of sustainable development goals. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 141, 109-122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.10.006

Equality and Human Rights Commission (2023). Employment statutory code of practice. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/employercode.pdf

Legislation.gov.uk (2023). Equality Act 2010.https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents

Manuel, T., & Herron, T. L. (2020). An ethical perspective of business CSR and the COVID-19 pandemic. Society and Business Review, 15(3), 235-253. https://doi.org/10.1108/SBR-06-2020-0086

Paterson, T. A., & Huang, L. (2019). Am I expected to be ethical? A role-definition perspective of ethical leadership and unethical behavior. Journal of Management, 45(7), 2837-2860. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206318771166

Salas‐Vallina, A., Alegre, J., & López‐Cabrales, Á. (2021). The challenge of increasing employees’ well‐being and performance: How human resource management practices and engaging leadership work together toward reaching this goal. Human Resource Management, 60(3), 333-347. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.22021

Varkey, B. (2021). Principles of clinical ethics and their application to practice. Medical Principles and Practice, 30(1), 17-28. https://doi.org/10.1159/000509119

Yeganeh, S., Torabizadeh, C., Bahmani, T., Molazem, Z., Doust, H. Y., & Dehnavi, S. D. (2022). Examining the views of operating room nurses and physicians on the relationship between professional values and professional communication. BMC nursing, 21(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00778-x