Digital Ethics in the Workplace - Essay Sample

Introduction

The world has gradually developed into a globally connected village due to the tenets of technological advancement. Today, people can easily communicate with friends, colleagues, family, and so on from wherever they are regardless of the distance. All this has been made possible by innovations and creativity around the world of computers and digital connectivity. However, various ethical issues often present themselves, particularly when it comes to digital interactions with colleagues in the workplace. Essentially, one must observe the ethical codes of conduct that surround the usage of online platforms and the general digital arena to avoid offending other users. Ethical practices in workplaces are often governed by regulations stipulated by the organization’s management, emerging issues, policies, as well as standards. The most critical ethical issues include privacy, working conditions, as well as communication within the workplace.

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Emerging Issues

The internet has brought about digital literacy to the extent that almost everyone who can access a gadget such as a computer can equally access the internet. In the same light, such connections have opened various avenues for interpersonal communications and interactions. This often happens through social as well as mainstream media, which can then be accessed through televisions, computers and mobile gadgets. Privacy is seldom guaranteed in such platforms because people have learned different ways of accessing other people’s private data without their consent (Maitland, & Lynch, 2020). For instance, some institutions often allow senior officers to have unlimited access to the information contained in their juniors’ computers and databases. Thus, it is impossible for these officers to keep any private information since it can be accessed at any time.

The issue of digital privacy extends to the public as well as private workplaces since most operations and transactions have been computerized. Despite the many regulations that may be instituted by legislative bodies, various emerging issues come up and have to be dealt with as they emerge (Whiting & Pritchard, 2017). For instance, some organizations depend mainly on social media for communicating serious issues, such as when carrying out meetings over the internet. Even so, social gatherings may not be the most reliable due to the possibility of breaching one’s rights to privacy (Maitland & Lynch, 2020). This applies both ways because sometimes the workers may also be tempted to behave unethically since there is little or no direct supervision. At the same time, the digital platform may also limit a person’s ethical responsibility towards offering quality services due to the lack of direct contact with colleagues.

Working Conditions

Among the emerging issues with digital working conditions is the redefinition of working time. Initially, one could easily define the working time in terms of the hours available in a day, based on how many hours they are supposed to be at work. However, with the emergence of digital working conditions, organizations can be unethical in their operations by requiring their employees to work for more hours with no extra pay (Whiting & Pritchard, 2017). For instance, one may be assigned an online project with little time, forcing them to spend too much time researching and working on it. Such conditions are unethical and unfavorable because the employee has to work for many hours, unlike when it is done at the physical workplace where there is a time limit to report and leave.

Policies and Standards

Different companies have their unique policies and standards governing the use of digital gadgets and media. For instance, some do not allow the use of social media at the workplace if not for official purposes. Others depend primarily on the various social platforms to attract clients and target a particular set of clientele. In this light, some of the ethical policies may include the freedom of expression where one is allowed to have a say in matters that affect them at the workplace (James, 2020). Even so, the freedom of expression is often allowed only to the extent where it does not bring about a conflict of interests between the employees and the organization. This may include an employee disclosing the confidential details of a given company to the general public over the social platforms for personal gains. In such a case, the company will often take action based on the legal stipulations regarding such offenses on the digital arena. Companies also develop various policies and standards to ensure that such instances do not occur, and if they do, stipulate a strategy for handling them.

In conclusion, the digital arena has brought many advantages, especially by making work more comfortable and more efficient in different sectors. Even so, it carries with it various ethical implications that govern how individuals conduct themselves in different social arenas. In contemporary society, individuals can easily meet, hold conversations, and even carry out complete transactions over the internet. Thus, for such a thing to be possible, it is crucial to observe proper ethical guidelines to avoid collisions or infringement of people’s rights. These ethical aspects are determined by emerging issues as well as the standards and policies set b the management in any working place. Such include privacy, working conditions, as well as the freedom of expression for all parties involved. Arguably, the digital world may present many opportunities, but in the absence of ethics, they may be a source of conflict and disagreement among colleagues.

References

James, S. (2020). Social media ethics: Why you should have a policy. Milwaukee Inbound Marketing & Design Agency. https://www.streamcreative.com/blog/bid/52570/social-media-ethics-why-you-should-have-a-policy

Maitland, N. B., & Lynch, J. (2020, February 5). Social media, ethics, and privacy paradox. IntechOpen - Open Science Open Minds | IntechOpen. https://www.intechopen.com/books/security-and-privacy-from-a-legal-ethical-and-technical-perspective/social-media-ethics-and-the-privacy-paradox. 10.5772/intechopen.90906

Whiting, R., & Pritchard, K. (2017). Digital Ethics. CORE – Aggregating the world’s open access research papers. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/146503784.pdf