The topic of workplace ethics has become increasingly important in the business world. Not only do low-income workers in developing countries suffer from poor working conditions, highly-compensated employees also experience difficult times. For example, working in immensely competitive environments causes stress-related health problems. It is necessary for the companies to create safe, less-stressful working environments; neglecting workers’ safety and health is indeed unethical.

                         There have been numerical examples of Chinese laborers who work for big firms being “maltreated”. One of the famous instances is that, in 2014, Chinese workers who worked for Bell and Apple were “exposed to toxic chemicals” and “given only twenty-minute initial training”¹. Under the surface, the big companies exploited developing countries’needs for having their fast-growing population employed and treated the workers “the way they wanted to”. As they said, “our suppliers must live up to the toughest standards if they want to keep doing business with Apple.” It is evident that their immoral demands severely infringe on workers’ rights.

It is indicated in “Evaluating Amazon’s Workplace Ethics”² that Amazon has failed to embrace workplace ethics as well. The staff’s psychological and physical health isn’t taken into consideration throughout the company’s development. Intense competitions among employees, which boost profits for the fast-growing industry, force workers to work hard without considering their health. Amazon is responsible for controlling its over-competitive working environment as well as reducing conflicting demands on employees. In fact, workers become less creative and less efficient under excessive pressure, which can lead to bigger loss of the company.

As I see it, workplace ethics play a tremendously important role in business growth. The protection of workers’ fundamental rights goes along with profit-making in today’s industry.

Works Cited

1. Apple and Dell supplier in China ‘neglects staff safety’
2. Evaluating Amazon’s Workplace Ethics
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