What is Professional Ethics?

We explain what professional ethics is and what it is for. In addition, the different types of professional ethics, and business ethics.

1. What is Professional Ethics?

Professional ethics refers to the set of norms and values ​​that make and improve the development of professional activities . It is responsible for determining the ethical guidelines of labor development through universal values that human beings possess . Although it focuses on these values, it is specified more in the use of them within a fully working environment.

Work ethics is essential in any person who wishes to work , since this implies the practice of values ​​such as responsibility , punctuality , study, perseverance, character , concentration, training, discretion, among others.

Conflicts usually appear when there are discrepancies between professional ethics and personal ethics . In those cases, people should take action, such as conscientious objection, if it is believed that they are not acting correctly.

2. What is professional ethics for?

It is assumed that professional ethics also determines how a professional should act in a given situation . In a rather strict sense, we could only point out the careers that are of university level or higher, but also the trades and any other permanent work should be considered.

This is because the professional faces different situations every day, and professional ethics should be reflected in a code of professional ethics to prevent mistakes, each professional association should have one that makes clear what is right and what is not, both moral as ethically.

3. Types of professional ethics

• Professional ethics of the lawyer : Values ​​for each profession are always important, but specifically in the legal profession, those that are fundamental, such as justice , honesty, loyalty , diligence and professional secrecy,are put into practice.
• Professional ethics of a teacher : For all teachers it is very important to develop ethical principles, not only for themselves, but it is they who have a great social responsibility with the rest. Your task is to carry out your daily work activities in the best possible way.
• Professional ethics of a psychologist : These professionals have their own ethical codes when handling their work. Some aspects of their work are confidentiality, responsibility and honesty between both parties, that is, professional-patient.
• Ethics of a manager : A the same as in the profession named above, in the administration of companies also exist codes that are considered within an ethical framework. Loyalty, legality, diligence and honesty are the fundamental ethical values ​​to carry out these works.

Responsibility is an essential part when we talk about professional ethics, without it we would not be able to set our own goals , both labor and professional. When we know that we must act under responsibility, the will of oneself and freedom are at stake . The responsibility will allow each person to perform all their work in a fair and professional manner.

Ethics is considered a science in charge of studying the behaviors of human beings under norms that must exist in a coexistence in society. In this way it is applied to the professional field of an individual, since it is about the decisions that are made in a totally conscious and voluntary way. For this reason, involuntary behaviors are not considered ethical, that is, they did not happen under their own consent.

4. Ethics in animals?

Several times there has been talk of ethics comparing human beings with animals. Man has the ability to decide and act under his deliberations, however, animals are completely free beings because their actions are guided by the animal instinct they possess by nature.

For example, a person can decide what he wants and should eat, however, a hungry animal acts instinctively: If he is hungry, he will eat the first thing in front of him, regardless of other issues, such as the life of other animal

5. Professional characteristics

A profession is that activity that is chosen personally and is offered to others for their benefit and for their own benefit as well. But the conditions for carrying out these activities are diverse, and the main one is to apply the professional ethics that you must have when exercising each profession.

The strict sense of the word profession refers only to university careers , but you can also talk about the trades, since they are a vocation that will also be at the service of other people.

It is the duty of all workers to apply professional ethics in each activity that is within their reach, since it has a set of rules that will make that work something worthy , in addition to proving their loyalty, honesty and all kinds of moral good that It is necessary for the present and future, both of the professional himself and his colleagues and people to whom the service will be provided.

An individual may establish his professional ethics through two fundamental points, they are:

• Individual values : As we mentioned above, the values ​​individual values ​​are all those that a person possesses through their experiences, experiences and their own will.
• Official code of ethics : This type of code governs the ethical behavior of a professional.

6. Business ethics

Professional ethics comes from the concept of business ethics, which establishes how the conditions in which a human being relates to his environment should be. It is important that the professional offers a fair service and does a good job, it is what corresponds and that is good for customers .

Business ethics has three branches:

• Limited economicism : It aims to maximize benefits but respecting legal norms.
• Rationalist dualism : Look for the benefits but respecting the principles established by some rationalist ethical theory.
• Moderate realism : Understand that the human being can identify the needs of their environment and establish an equitable relationship with this environment.

The ethics does not imply coercion, ie is free physical punishments, penalties or fines as those of society , such as who would steal a car. What ethical and morally wrong acts do imply is responsibility.

People must be responsible for their own actions , since each of us always acts with freedom, will and intelligence, not in a forced way. They also have to do with freedom and will with the choice of a career, therefore the human person must be respectful of the obligations and rights that that profession entails.

Likewise, rights are also important in professional ethics , since if a professional maintains that there is something that does not respond to what he considers correct in his ethical thinking, he should not be under any circumstances required to do so.

For example, let’s talk about lawyers: we know that in a trial all parties involved must have a defense lawyer, but what if a lawyer is assigned and he does not want to represent a person because he knows it is an indefensible case or because defending it goes against its principles?

No one should be able to force him to defend that case, although without a doubt there will be someone who puts aside his ethical thinking and acts in pursuit of something that for that person has much more weight, in this case the pay that will be received for the work . This happens in many cases. Another example that we can cite are those industries that to carry out their work must commit to the environment and do so without hesitation or questioning ethics or morals.