Unprofessional conduct, especially in business today is very much a topic of debate. Americans don’t seem to be surprised by dishonesty or unethical behavior, especially in the last few years. As people become more comfortable with these actions, it suggests that there has been a rise in the number of immoral acts. They see the issues as inherent in any company and are not proactive about addressing them. Becker (2018). There are several types of unethical conduct that can be committed, depending on how severe it is, who the victim or its impact on others, as well as on whether there has been any prior warnings. Although stakeholders are encouraged to act ethically, there is no exemption from being unethical and causing injury to others, the surrounding community, oneself, or other members of an organization. Managers and employees are more likely to engage in unethical behavior at work. It is important to understand the reasons behind the behavior in order to provide better education and help avoid it in the future.
Unethical behaviour can be defined as any behavior or act at work that is against the accepted standards of moral conduct. Lewitter, et. al. (2018) Unethical conduct can be defined as an activity which is harmful to the organization or violates workplace moral standards. This means that any unethical activity could have significant repercussions on the functioning of the community, or the adhesion to established standards of conduct and practice. Becker (2018) is one of many scholars who recognize that ethical behavior can be very costly for organizations as they seek to correct the negative effects of behaviors that violate acceptable conduct. Unethical behavior can reduce employee productivity, and even lead to a loss of morale or satisfaction. In turn, this can have a negative impact on employees’ engagement and limit the company’s ability to achieve its full financial and market potential. Additionally, unethical behavior may result in the violation of workers’ rights, which may lead to legal suits that present the institution with a new challenge in terms of legal fees and costs to hire professionals, and, in the most severe cases, rising costs resulting from the compensation of workers and stakeholders harmed by the behavior and actions (Ripoll & BAllart, 2020). Recognize that any unethical behavior could result in the company’s market performance or raising expenses.