When carrying out a profession, it is essential to act under a series of ethical and moral standards that guarantee respect for people on the part of the worker, thinking more about the common benefit than the individual benefit.
Work ethics is the set of rules that establish what is good and what is not 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 failures can imply criminal measures.
Let’s delve deeper into what work ethic is and see some of the principles on which it is based.
Work ethics, also known as professional ethics, refers to 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, that is, how to behave in a manner that is respectful of others and oneself.
Ethics can be defined as the discipline responsible for studying the behaviors of human beings under norms that promote social harmony Starting from this, we can understand that work ethics is fundamental for any worker, since it involves the practice of values ​​such as responsibility, honesty, perseverance, 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 measures, such as conscientious objection if they believe that they are not acting correctly or what the job requires them to do clashes head-on with one’s own beliefs.
What is professional ethics for?
The work ethic determines how a professional should act in a given situation Workers in virtually any profession face all types of situations on a daily basis, including some that require making moral decisions.
Work ethics foresees possible errors that may occur and determines what is right and what is not, both morally and ethically in the exercise of a profession. Ethics of this type seek to favor the common good above the particular interests of each worker
Many professions and organizations have their own ethical codes, which explicitly detail the values ​​that must be respected in the workplace. These standards must be known by all workers in 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 ethic is based on a set of values Its objective is to be a guide for professionals when carrying out their jobs and ensuring that their actions benefit both the profession and society. Ethical acts imply responsibility.
2. Sometimes specified in ethical codes
There are many professions and organizations that have a code of ethics. The objective of these is Make sure that your 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 behaviors of that job.
3. It does not involve coercion
Not following the rules established within work ethics is free from physical punishment, sanctions and fines although it will always mean a certain loss of prestige, trust and respect for the unethical professional.
This is different from legal rules, which do imply some type of penalty if broken. However, when these ethical standards are specified in the code of ethics, they can be subject to punishable measures.
Work ethics govern 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..
Related article: “The 10 types of values: principles that govern our lives”
The importance of this type of ethics
Work ethics aims to ensure that certain values ​​are respected among the members of a profession. It is essential to follow this type of ethics, since it complies with certain social and moral norms that promote harmony and social cohesion. By respecting ethical and moral values ​​and behaviors, we contribute to the development of more just and egalitarian societies
Professional ethics is very important in professions whose decisions affect the lives of other people, such as health professions, such as doctors and clinical psychologists, or others in which they work with sensitive information, such as journalists or the lawyers. In its ethical codes, truth, honesty and justice prevail, 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 norms, generating trust in customers and the community.
Types of professional ethics
As we said, each profession has its own work ethic. Next we are going to look at the work ethics of some very well-known jobs.
1. Psychology
Psychologists have our own ethical codes with standards designed for the well-being of patients. Some of the values ​​of psychology are responsibility, confidentiality and honesty
You may be interested: “Deontological Code of the Psychologist”
For teachers, it is vitally important to respect and develop certain ethical principles, since Your profession entails a great social responsibility by transmitting knowledge to other people
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, included within the Hippocratic Oath , than every medical professional. Some of his work ethic principles are respect for life and human rights, honest conduct when caring for people and the protection of their integrity in the event of any health problem.
5. Journalism
Communication professionals must base their professional activity on values ​​such as truth, precision when providing information, respect, tolerance and pluralism.
6. Engineering
Engineers must pay special attention to safety, public welfare and promoting sustainable development These professionals can only provide services in areas of their competence and their public statements must be truthful and objective. They should 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 They are fundamental ethical values ​​in the performance of this profession.
Practical examples in the application of work ethics
Next we are going to see a few examples of work ethics.
1. Respect for professional secrecy
The professional secret is not revealing the sources that have provided certain information This code is a fundamental aspect in professions such as journalism, psychology and law.
Related article: “The 4 exceptions to the psychologist’s professional secrecy”
2. Individual rights in the dissemination of information
These rights would include the right not to disseminate information that may pose a danger to the integrity of an individual or that threatens their honor, privacy or self-image.
3. Professional respect
With professional respect we refer, mainly, to treating colleagues in a respectful and promote a harmonious environment in the workplace
4. Promote labor inclusion
Professionals must adopt techniques that contribute to eradicating any type of social injustice and discrimination based on race, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, social group or age
