Ethical Human Resource Management

Posted by Tracey Lloyd Sep 19, 2009

Many companies make the claim that their employees are their most important asset. Ethical human resources management practices provide an opportunity for businesses to implement practical solutions to support the claims that employees are their most important asset.

Ethical human resource management practices include ensuring that human capital is valued, through provision of training, employee engagement programs, workplace health promotion programs and skills development. In many countries, there are government initiatives to assist businesses to implement skills development, training and workplace health promotion programs.

Many companies have adopted ethical human resource management practices as part of their corporate social responsibility strategy. Telecommunications Provider, Orange France Telecom, report the implementation of family friendly workplace policies and participated in the development of CSR Europe’s Guide to Good Practices for Workplace Wellbeing.

MillerCoors workforce development initiatives have included the creation of a university to provide training and a employee volunteering scheme which has totalled 60,000 volunteer hours. Marathon Oil has focused on providing an inclusive health care program and commitments to training of new engineers and ensuring diversity within the workforce.

The benefits to organisations of adopting ethical human resource management practices include reducing staff turnover rates as engaged employees are less likely to leave the organisation, obtaining market advantages from innovative employees who are encouraged to share ideas and the potential for increases in productivity rates.