Interpersonal Communication at Your Workplace

Communication Ethics

Defining Communication Ethics

Values describe an individual’s beliefs and attitudes. Ethics, on the other hand, refer to how individuals enact their values in specific behaviors and choices. More specifically, ethics refer to the standards of what is right and wrong, good and bad, or moral and immoral; they are the rules or codes by which people abide (Hazels, 2015). Communication ethics describe the standards of right and wrong that one applies to messages that are sent and received.

When you hear the term communication ethics, you might assume the phrase simply refers to whether messages are truthful. Although truthfulness is one fundamental ethical standard, communicating ethically requires much more than simply being truthful. Truthfulness also involves deciding what information can and should be disclosed or withheld as well as assessing the benefit or harm associated with specific messages.

Each individual has a responsibility to evaluate the ethics of his or her own and others’ communication efforts. Similarly, organizations should weigh the ethics of sharing or withholding information that might affect the value of their stock shares. Also, broadcasting companies should decide whether reporting private information about individuals is ethical.

Reference:

Hazel, T. (2015). Ethics and morality: What should be taught in business law?Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 19(2), 77−89.