Ensuring the positive environment, safe spaces, and conducive ambiance, ethics in the workplace refers to the set of values or the moral principles that guide an employee or a person’s behavior and actions.
The importance of upholding ethics is highly valuable as it encourages the management to treat everyone in the workforce as valued equals.
In the case of information technology professionals, it is highly important to have an established code of ethics as it encourages and creates an environment where people who practice it will behave morally and responsibly given the tools and resources that they are given.
Essentially, ethics among professionals in the IT industry ensures that computer technology is not used in malicious or criminal ways which can potentially harm society, the environment, and individuals. Here are a couple of reasons why ethics is highly important for IT professionals:
Deterrent for Cyber Crimes
Wrongdoings that are mediated by technology are called “cybercrimes”. These are criminal activities that target individuals or groups, causing harm and damages. As technology evolves, so are the methods and modus operandi in this type of criminal activity.
It isn’t a shock that there has been a rise of crimes done under this light in a previous couple of years. Now, the government and even private entities have established a set of rules to deter this.
Crimes such as illegal data mining, espionage, and financial theft are just among the serious crimes that the code of ethics has covered.
Other crimes such as illegal pornography, copyright infringement, and illegal use of other people’s data and information are also accounted for in certain ethical standards.
In terms of an individual’s right to privacy, the developments of information technology have allowed people to exchange data and information to almost any location around the globe, at any possible time. With this, the risks of privacy violations become more apparent.
However, computer ethics protect everyone that is at risk of this threat. More so, there is legislation in almost every country that can further safeguard individuals from privacy breaches such as this.
Safer and Cleaner Environment
Referring to being environmentally friendly and responsible, green computing is also the practice of using, designing, engineering, and disposing of computing devices in a method that lessens their negative environmental impact.
A lot of IT manufactures and designers have been continuously investing in creating environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient devices to further lessen the usage of harmful materials and increase the recyclability of computing devices.
Also known as green information technology, a couple of concepts have been developed to support the cause. From ensuring that electricity consumption by computers and other third-party devices is at its minimum, workplaces are encouraged to practice “green use”.
For IT manufacturers, the concept of “green design” and “green manufacturing” are promoted to further improve contributions of developing cleaner and environmentally efficient devices. This includes creating energy-efficient, and environmentally safe materials and designs in our computer devices.
Conclusion
In conclusion, enforcing, applying, and practicing these certain and specific ethical codes set in working environments helps the organization become more efficient and successful.
Not only that it makes the employee or individual become more skillful and talented in their field, but it also makes them work in a more conducive space, making work productivity better.
Aside from that, ethics in information technology does not only extend to the individuals inside their offices but rather in the culture and environment that professionals in IT make. Through this, we are able to live in a safer, more efficient, and nurturing future aided by technology.
