Quality matters: when Codes of Ethics can make a real difference
08 September 2025
What is the ethical issue?
As technology has grown and methods of communication have developed, the ability to work remotely has emerged to positively impact organisations, but raise questions regarding its effects on individuals.
Although the flexibility and mobility of working has improved, achieving both a balance and separation between work and home has become harder. In the IBE’s 2018 survey of the British public, 23% highlighted work-home balance as an issue that employers need to address, behind only tax avoidance, executive pay and environmental responsibility.
If an organisation does not effectively establish a culture which encourages a good balance between professional and personal life it can have wider ramifications on employee wellbeing and company performance. Flexible working arrangements are growing in business, and many full-time employees consider the option to use mobile technology away from work an advantage, yet companies need to recognise their duty of care and show caution to how this may cause stress for employees and negatively impact their personal lives.
Contrastingly, organisations also risk creating a disengaged workforce if they fail to take employees’ personal circumstances into account in a manner which is fair. Disengaged employees often become so after experiencing stress caused by their employers, and thus proceed to actively work against the aims of the organisation.
IBE Guidance
A summary of good practice
- With the ability to work flexibly becoming more accessible and sophisticated, organisations are better placed to embrace the personal circumstances of employees and develop strategies which maintain a happy and engaged workforce. Understanding the optimal working environment for employees and encouraging a positive work-home balance can have a strong impact on company performance.
- Employers may opt for more tangible policies to ensure this balance, such as restricting emails outside of working hours, or allowing differing working hours for different employees depending on personal circumstances. Yet broadly, organisations should adopt a strategy which creates a culture where the professional and personal do not work against each other and workplace wellbeing is a priority, thus building an engaged workforce who achieve results without sacrifices in their personal lives.
Further resources
Attitudes of the British Public to Business Ethics 2022
Businesses and UK politicians must do better at demonstrating their ethical credentials if they are to win back the confidence of the British public - the 2022 results of the IBE's annual survey of the attitudes of the British public to business ethics.
29 June 2022
Attitudes of the British Public to Business Ethics 2021
Britain’s businesses could behave better - the 2021 results of the IBE's annual survey of the attitudes of the British public to business ethics.
17 January 2022
Employees’ voices: a glass half full
The results of our latest Ethics at Work survey bring us some good news, but also some red flags that cannot be ignored as organisations shape their ethical agenda for the future.
08 December 2021
Ethics at Work: 2021 International Survey of Employees
This survey is the only one of its kind, covering 13 countries over four continents, that provides real insight into employees’ views on ethics across all sectors and job roles.
04 November 2021
Attitudes of the British Public to Business Ethics 2020
The 2020 results of the IBE's annual survey of the attitudes of the British public to business ethics.
30 December 2020
Hugh Kay Lecture: Standards in Public Life - Are we in a Post-Nolan age?
View the recording of our webinar.
12 November 2020
Ethics at Work 2018: Germany
This survey report describes the German findings of our 2018 Ethics at Work research and provides comparison with the European average from the eight countries surveyed.
10 December 2019
Ethics at Work 2018: Italy
This survey report describes the Italian findings of our 2018 Ethics at Work research and provides comparison with the European average from the eight countries surveyed.
10 December 2019
Ethics at Work 2018: Singapore
This survey report describes the Singapore findings of our 2018 Ethics at Work research and provides comparison with Switzerland and the UK.
23 September 2019
Ethics at Work 2018: Canada
This survey report describes the Canadian findings of our 2018 Ethics at Work research and provides comparison with Switzerland and the UK.
26 June 2019
Ethics at Work 2018: Switzerland
This survey report describes the Swiss findings of our 2018 Ethics at Work research and provides comparison with the European average.
23 May 2019
Ethics at Work 2018: New Zealand
This survey report describes the New Zealand findings of our 2018 Ethics at Work research.
28 November 2018
Ethics at Work 2018: Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom
This survey report describes the Australia and New Zealand findings of our 2018 Ethics at Work research and compares them with the findings from the UK.
27 November 2018
Ethics at Work 2018: Australia
This survey report describes the Australian findings of our 2018 Ethics at Work research.
27 November 2018