Examine ethical dilemmas with particular emphasis on business decision making
This benchmark assignment assesses the following competencies.
Competency 4.2: Examine ethical dilemmas with particular emphasis on business decision making in situations of ambiguity.
Competency 1.3: Write effective business messages that meet the needs of specific audiences.
The purpose of this assignment is to examine the framework for ethical decision making in business.
Consider that you have learned about business law and ethics as you read the scenario below.
Scenario
A manager was in the process of hiring a new employee and interviewed several candidates. After narrowing the search down to two candidates, the manager and another employee searched several social media sites and reviewed the two candidates’ accounts to gain additional information about them and to decide who they thought would be a better fit for the organization. The manager and employee used the information found in the social media searches in making their final selection for the position. The use of the information gained from the social media search was not disclosed to either candidate at any point in the interview process.
Assignment
Assume you are the director of human resources for the company, and you have just learned about the social media searches that were used in the hiring process. Write a 250-word memo to the company managers that addresses the ethical issues resulting from this situation. Your goal is to reeducate managers about the ethical framework of your organization and the way business, including hiring, is conducted. Include discussion of the following.
The legality of the use of personal information taken from social media as part of the hiring process.
The legality of failing to disclose to candidates of the use of social media account reviews as part of the hiring process.
Summary of the ethical dilemmas and the ambiguities of the situation.
Propose guidelines for the review and use of social media profiles as part of the hiring process.
APA style is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
Sample Answer
To:
From:
Date:
Subject: Ethical Framework for the Hiring Process
Dear [Name],
I have noted with great concern that in the recent recruitment process of the office of admin assistant, social media was used by the company to conduct background checks on prospective candidates. The information was used as the final medium to validate the suitability of candidates before the hiring process and they were not informed about the scrutiny on their personal space. This was quite unethical!
Some employers allow the use of social media to collect information about their potential employees but that is not the case for our company. The use of social media in the recruitment process comes with its own legal intricacies. For example, if it is found that the decision to reject or hire a certain candidate was based on information provided on social platforms like religion, sex, or political affiliations, these kind of bias amount to discrimination. The organization can be sued for such acts because it is a federal crime to discriminate an individual based on his or her social media profile because it amounts to violation of individual privacy. The company’s scope only extends up to the professional space, which should be maintained without getting into the candidate’s personal space. In this regard, employees also face an ethical dilemma whether to reveal to the candidates that their social media data was used in the recruitment process.
Moving forward, the company will not use social media during recruitment because the act invades the privacy of candidates. A new HR policy will be rolled out on the same. Also, I encourage all employees to secure their profiles on social media. Enacting additional security measures helps to keep one’s life private for friends and family, while at the same time preventing unlawful search and violation of privacy. Consequently, this will address the ethical dilemma that arises when using the candidate’s personal information.
I hope you take the matter seriously and refrain from such activities in the future. Social media should be used as a positive, constructive tool and not an investigative platform. In case you have any concerns on the issue, let me know.
Regards,
[Name]
Human Resource Director.v
