Employers Ethical Responsibility for Psychological Safety

Ignoring ethics can risk damage to life and limb, not just profits and reputation

I once worked for a crane company — a business that rents large construction equipment to move heavy loads. Even though I served as the marketing director, I underwent the same on-the-job workplace safety training as anyone in the field. This training informed me of our commitment to a safe work culture, and I felt secure and protected when I ventured out on job sites to direct photo or video sessions.

I recall the safety manager rebuking me one day for moving just a few feet outside a marked area. Even though no equipment operators were lifting any loads, it reminded me that I needed to always have mindfulness that situations can change in a moment. Ethically, this safety expert did his best to ensure no harm befell anyone, that the most benefit would come from the project because of safe measures, and that he respected me and our fellow workers. He did so fairly and impartially with much care.

As much as workplaces must always promote physical safety from environmental factors, they must also safeguard workers’ emotional and physical safety from one another. Bruce Weinstein, the “Ethics Guy,” states that to be ethical, one must prevent harm, make things better, show respect for others, act with fairness, and care for others (2018). When people at work ignore any of these five tenets, the lack of ethics can lead to immoral, hostile, or risky situations.

Employers have an ethical responsibility to prevent dangerous behavior in the workplace. This kind of behavior can range from carelessness and apathy to teasing and harassment to aggression and sabotage. Ultimately, the actions of employees—from executives to first-line workers—reflect the company’s actions, making the organization culpable for any counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs).

What Is Workplace Aggression?

Aggressive behavior in the workplace can take many forms, from verbal abuse to physical violence. It can have a devastating impact on employees, both physically and emotionally. In addition, it can create a hostile work environment that lowers productivity and morale. This can lead to rising healthcare costs, loss of a positive reputation, reduced organizational commitment, broken psychological contracts among workers, attrition, and reduced customer revenues.

Workplace aggression violates each element of an ethical code. It harms others, diminishes trust, demonstrates disrespect, removes fair treatment, and shows no love. Subsequently, removing workplace ethics on just about any level can prove devastating to the health of an organization and the individuals working within it.

In addition to the ethical reasons for preventing aggressive behavior, there are also legal reasons. In the United States, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This includes discrimination in the form of workplace violence. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) also requires employers to provide a safe workplace for their employees. This includes protecting employees from workplace violence.

Employers who fail to take steps to prevent aggressive behavior in the workplace might assume liability for legal damages. They may also face regulatory sanctions from OSHA.

How to Avoid Workplace Aggression

Employers should take steps to address aggressive behavior when it does occur. Some actions employers can take to prevent aggressive behavior in the workplace include:

1. Create a culture of respect and civility. This means setting clear expectations for behavior and modeling respectful behavior. Employers should also have policies in place that prohibit bullying, harassment, and other forms of aggressive behavior.
2. Provide training on workplace violence prevention. This training should help employees to identify and respond to aggressive behavior. It should also cover the company’s policies on workplace violence and how to report incidents.
3. Encourage employees to speak up if they see or experience aggressive behavior. Employees should feel comfortable reporting incidents of aggressive behavior without fear of retaliation. Employers should have a clear process for reporting incidents and take prompt action to investigate and address them.

By taking these steps, employers can help to create a workplace where everyone feels safe and respected. This is not only the right thing to do but also good for business. A workplace where employees feel safe and respected establishes a workplace with high morality, high productivity, and higher job satisfaction.

The bottom line is that employers have an ethical and legal responsibility to prevent aggressive behavior in the workplace. By taking the steps outlined above, employers can help to create a safe and respectful workplace for all employees.

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References

United States Department of Labor (DOL). (2016). Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act)

(29 USC §651 et seq.; 29 CFR Parts 1900 to 2400). https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/elg/osha.htm 

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (n.d.). Laws Enforced by EEOC. https://www.eeoc.gov/statutes/laws-enforced-eeoc

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (n.d.). Title TII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. https://www.eeoc.gov/statutes/title-vii-civil-rights-act-1964

Weinstein, B. (2018). Ethical Intelligence: Five Principles for Untangling Your Toughest Problems at Work and Beyond. Gildan Media.

Weinstein, B. (2020). Five powerful principles for navigating through a crisis. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bruceweinstein/2020/03/19/five-powerful-principles-for-navigating-through-a-crisis/?sh=7443f569265c