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Honest Work: Chapter 1 on Workplace Ethics

I discuss the readings from Honest Work, pp. 1-14

BrianGlenney
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Honest Work: Chapter 1 on Workplace Ethics

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  1. Workfare HW 1

  2. For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard….The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius as well. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. "These men who were hired last worked only one hour," they said, "and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day." "'But he answered one of them, "Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?" "'So the last will be first, and the first will be last'" (Matthew 20:1-16).

  3. The Nature of the Workplace What is wrong with the vineyard workplace? Everyone gets paid an equal amount. So, it should be a “fair” wage.

  4. Problem:unEqual => unFair A workplace environment is fundamentally unequal: • Pay • Work load • Time use • Personal issues Need an unequal workplace be unfair (unjust)? Workplace ethics is about how to be fair when the environment is unequal.

  5. Respect (Kant –Bowie): A Workplace Ethic Kantian Ethics: Treat others as ends unto themselves rather than means to an end. When we interact with other people, we must treat them like people rather than as objects.

  6. Problem for Kant: Capitalism • With our current “capitalist” market system, all sources of profit, including people, are means for profit gain.

  7. Why Respect? • People are independent, autonomous, and self-governing. • Whatever is independent, autonomous, and self-governing possesses the capability of responsibility. • Whatever is capable of responsibility possess intrinsic dignity (moral status) because those issuing dignity are themselves capable of responsibility. • Thus, People have intrinsic dignity (moral status).

  8. Respectand the Workplace The point of Kant’s argument is that for any person to want respect from others, they must live in a ‘system’ of respect for others. Without a system of respect, no one will be treated with respect (including those in authority who demand respect).

  9. W.D. Ross’s “Prima Facie” duties of respect • Prevent injustice • Do no harm • Keep promises • Truth telling • Make amends • Do good deeds • Better yourself • Express appreciation A fair (system of respect) workplace will cultivate duties of respect.

  10. Problem for Kant: Capitalism • With our current “capitalist” market system, all sources of profit, including people, are means for profit gain.

  11. People as Profit (Hochshild) Ways of “People Profit” Physical Labor Emotional Labor

  12. People as Profit (Hochshild) “People Profit” => Process/Product “People profit” makes explicit the notion that process affects product.

  13. Process and Product How a thing comes to be determines how it is.

  14. Process and Product How a thing comes to be determines how it is. If a company requires its employees to engage in emotional labor, like smiling, then the meaning of the product (happiness), including the product itself (customer satisfaction) is undermined. By contrast, a company that just has happy employees will naturally have a stronger meaning of the product, including the product itself.

  15. Problem for Kant: Capitalism • With our current “capitalist” market system, all sources of profit, including people, are means for profit gain.

  16. Hochshild’s Response for Kant: Capitalism • With our current “capitalist” market system, all sources of profit, including people, are means for profit gain. But, if process affects product, then treating people as ends will result in more overall profit.

  17. Hochshild’s Response for Kant: Capitalism • Emotional and Physical labor should flow naturally out of the workplace environment rather than be coerced in order to make greater profit.

  18. Barry’s Response for Kant: Capitalism • With our current “capitalist” market system, all sources of profit, including people, are means for profit gain. But, if process affects product, then treating people as ends will result in more overall profit.

  19. Hochshild’s Response for Kant: Capitalism • The greater allowance for free speech of employees, the greater felt autonomy and responsibility as a moral being—as a person. So, greater free speech translates into greater profits.

  20. Kant’s Summary Responseto Capitalism • If capitalist workplaces treat employees with respect, then their profits will be maximized.

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