Business and professional communication ethics are the topic of discussion for many employers nowadays. It is said by many that our generation lacks skills in business and professional communication ethics and that is one of the biggest concerns of employers today when deciding to employ the people of our generation. It is sad that that is something that is of such great concern to employers, especially after reading the manners portion of the book starting on page 178. As I read this section I couldn't help but think how dead on it was. The statement "that a communication ethics commitment in business and professional environments is the equivalent of good manners and proper form" couldn't be more true (178). It really allowed me to reflect on past job and interview situations and interaction where I had exhibited good manners to smooth situations and created an inviting environment for future employers, current employers, or colleagues.
It was interesting to read further down about the concept of "good people" or "people like me" referring to this notion of comparing good communication ethics with characteristics of the individual, "me", can thrive in a particular position (178). It was odd to read this because I used to have a former manager who would hire girls especially if they reminded her of herself for whatever reason, even if the girl was not fully qualified or if someone had some sort of complaint about her. It is a little bit of a different concept but it still aligns with the thought that if she saw some attributes of herself in these applicants she assumed they were fit for the job or would do a good job.
I think today quite a bit of employers stress that applicants have good business and professional communication ethics and they have come up with these specific standards in their heads and it almost sets us up for failure right away if we make one small mishap. I feel like the impulse of thinking "good people"/"people like me" concept happens a lot today with trying to hire for good workplace and team chemistry.
I really liked the quote you picked in your first paragraph. Because I work for your past employer, I see the ethical problem you talk about. I definitely agree that she does pick girls who may not be qualified for the job. This really upsets me when I suggest girls who would be outstanding but get overlooked in the interview process. Though I agree that working with "people like me" can be helpful it is also very beneficial to have diversity in the workplace to expand outside comfort zones and these differences can build better chemistry than hiring all the same type of people.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to your comment about many employers setting employees up for failure, I completely agree. Just as with every other topic we've talked about in class, this one is no different seeing as what is good for one company may be the opposite of another. I remember when I first started working at Mariucci, I often felt scared while working. I felt like my boss had so many implicit demands that I was terrified of making a mistake. Whenever I did, the way he would communicate to me made me feel like I should have known better when in reality there was no way that I should have based on my previous work experiences elsewhere and with my experience at the arena. However, I don't think that this is avoidable in today's society because each workplace is so different. So it falls on the employee to ensure that they are clear on the standards in place, and hopefully the boss will take steps to make sure they are clear on what they want out of their workers, not assuming as that they are just like them in how they approach the job.
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