officers must consult with HR and use their expertise to interpret regulations, resolve disputes and consult on ways to reduce future problems. In some cases, HR is able to resolve specific ethics problems on the spot avoiding the time and expense of a full-scale inquiry. (Greengard, 1997) Hoffman, of the Center for Business Ethics, says that the most important aspect of an education program is to teach employees to think independently about ethically sensitive issues (Flynn, 1995). In this day and age, employees need desperately to have opportunities to think through ethical situations. The training programs provided by HR must provide them with tools to think through those issues successfully. Ethical training sessions can provide a number of benefits. They reinforce the organization's standards of conduct; they are a reminder that top management wants employees to consider ethical issues in decision making; and they clarify what practices are and are not allowed. Across the board, when managers and employees discuss common concerns among themselves, they are reassured they aren't alone in facing ethical decisions. This can strengthen their confidence when they have to take ethically correct stances which may not be popular. As discussed throughout this paper, an exhaustive communicative effort is key to getting the word out. The message must permeate the entire company from the top to the bottom. We know that communication must also be supported by education and training. A strong ethical reputation can give a competitive edge to an organization, improve recruitment, and help retain current employees. It encourages morale because a good ethics program supports such morale builders as openness and honesty. It can improve employee interaction and build a workplace atmosphere based on candor, fairness, integrity and trust, lowering barriers in communications. Bottom line, an effective ethics program builds morale of employees because m...
