Redwood Associates Company’s Smoking Ethical Issues

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In business circles, it is always prudent to look at a problem from the perspective of how it is going to affect not only you, but also those in the vicinity (Nelson and Trevino, 2010, p.17). Even though productivity and morale are two essential aspects needed in the work place as Charles Renfold puts it, they are supposed to be inculcated in an environment that is free for every employee to operate in.

Although employees are expected to know what morally they are supposed to undertake at their work place (acquired either from their upbringing or learned during their professional training), it is the responsibility of the management and generally the Redwood’s hiring authority to give direction to its employees on how to go about moral-related aspects at the place of work.Failing to do this is an epitome of poor management (Nelson and Trevino, 2010).

Ethical issues are defined as principles, traditions or values that dictate the conduct of either an individual or a team of people (Nelson and Trevino, 2010, p.17). Therefore employers have the mandate of establishing directions for conduct related to the work place. This includes both reporting and departure time, whether smoking is allowed at the workplace or not, where specific duties should be done, how one should relate to their co-workers, how clients are supposed to be handled and when promptly work should be completed. Concentrating on ethics as conduct makes it part of quality management. Managers have to detect both desirable and undesirable conducts then they convey the same to their employees through their ethical codes, training programmes or other means (Nelson and Trevino, 2010, p.18).

How Charles Renfold should respond to the case at hand

In most companies, employees will normally comply with the ethical standards spelt out by their employers. Differences may only arise in cases where the company’s guidelines on conduct conflict with personal principles and values (Nelson and Trevino, 2010, p.17). Looked at from this perspective, Charles Renfold is clearly being faced with an ethical issue that requires sober and well balanced address from an ethical dimension.

The response he gives should be both for the good of the company’s management as well as for its employees. It is important for Renfold to consider not only the urgency of the task to be accomplished by Darlene, but also the comfortability and working environment under which this work is to be done. Darlene’s complain about smoking reflects her personal values and principles which she so much seeks to uphold.

The fact the state requires companies to have a smoke free working place means that work stations are not supposed to be contaminated with smoke bearing in mind that not everyone smokes and the health hazards of smoking or even being in a smoking-prone zone are detrimental. In responding to Darlene, the supervisor ought to consider the state regulations regarding smoking in the work place, Darlene’s personal principles and the urgency of the task that Darlene is required to accomplish. In her responses, Darlene does not express any reluctance as far as doing her job is concerned. She is only opposed to doing it from the room where smokers work from. Two things should be resolved here. First, Darlene should be allowed to collect relevant materials from Alice and Frank’s room and then use them to work from the office where she normally operates with her non-smoking colleague.

Secondly, if it is a must that the task has to be done from the room where smoking occurs, then Darlene’s colleague who does not complain from the smoke should be allowed to do the task while Darlene is assigned those duties that only allow her to work from the non-smokers’ room. Either of these steps is short term and can only be undertaken due to the urgency of the task. Whereas the supervisor ought to respond in this manner, a long-term solution that considers the state policy on smoking and individual workers’ personal values should be the next possible way forward.

A suggested smoking policy for Redwood Associates

Since diseases that are caused by smoking are fatal, prevention of these ailments will be a step in the right direction to anyone. Most governments and the private industry advocate for smoking policies at the work place (United States, Congress Health Programme, 2010, p.48). This is because doing this is one way of preventing the disorders associated with smoking.

Just like other companies, Redwood associates should adopt a smoking policy that seeks not only to protect non-smokers but also to protect both equipment and high risk employees. The policy should be in line with the requirements of the law and as such prohibit smoking within specific areas of the work place. These are areas that encourage frequent interaction between smokers and non-smokers. Such areas may include offices, customer contact areas, conference rooms, elevators, hallways and refreshment rooms (United States, Congress Health Programme, 2010, p.49).

For that matter, smokers should therefore not be allowed to smoke from their workstations but rather from some restricted smoking zones within the company’s premises. Adopting a smoking policy has been reported to have improved the employees’ working morale, their working surrounding and even contributed towards increased smoking cessation (Stoto et al, p.101).

Supposing it was hygienic issue rather than “old smoke?”

If at all the disturbing smell from Frank and Alice’s office was as a result of Frank’s body odor and Alice’s perfume, then the case will take a different twist. The issue at hand ought to be addressed promptly by the supervisor after which the management should consider introducing a hygienic policy. This is because most organizations require that their employees maintain very high hygienic standards. This is applicable whether the organizations involve dealing with meals, health-related issues or any other aspect (Employee Hygiene, 2007).

Cleanliness is a required organizational etiquette. This ranges from dressing to personal grooming. An individual’s smartness can directly influence their work output. An employee hygienic policy will then be of urgent need for Redwood Associates incase the smell emanates from unpleasant cologne and body odor. This ought to be implemented urgently since it affects not only the clients and other colleagues, but also the individual affected workers (Employee Hygiene, 2007). If for example Frank had a body odor, he will not feel very comfortable to work and his concentration will therefore be low. Productivity will be negatively affected in the process. Alice’s cologne on the other hand will cause a repulsive effect to those surrounding her such as clients and fellow employees.

A hygienic policy should stipulate not only the management’s expectations from employees, but also the consequences that may arise from violating these expectations. Once this policy has been presented to the employees, they should then endorse a given paper to show that they have received it (Employee Hygiene, 2007). This will ensure that incase of any issue erupting, an employee can be summoned and action be taken in accordance to what is in this policy (Employee Hygiene, 2007).

Banning employees from smoking in their cars at the company’s parking lot is reasonable

As was noted (Car One, 2010) at the time, since the smoking policies of some companies forbid smoking within the company premises, cases of employees smoking in their own cars are termed as illegal. This is plausible since places of car park are still owned by the company, and hence smoking from your car is still a breach of the smoking policy.

Conclusion

Smoking is fatal to human health. A smoking policy is inevitable in all work places since it is a way of preventing diseases associated with smoking. It improves morale, productivity and smoking cessation. A hygiene police on the hand is necessary since it creates a harmonious and comfortable working environment. Redwood Associates and other organizations ought to have these two policies.

References

Car one. (2010). Can an employer stop you from smoking in your own car. And the car is parked in company parking lot? Web.

Employee Hygiene. (2007). Advice on employee hygiene and employment issues. Web.

Nelson, K. and Trevino, L. (2010). Managing Business Ethics.River Street, Hoboken, John Wiley and sons. Web.

Stoto, M. A. et al. (1990). Healthy people 2000: citizens chart the course. Washington D.C: National Academies press. Web.

United States, Congress Health Programme. (2010). Passive smoking in the workplace: selected issues: staff paper. NY: DIANE publishing. Web.

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