You can usually feel it. A decision’s been made but something about how it was handled doesn’t sit right. Maybe no one explained the “why,” or it just didn’t feel fair. These aren’t big headline moments, but they’re the ones that stay with you.
That’s because values show up in the every day, not just in policies or posters, but in how things are said, how people are treated, and how hard decisions are made. When your workplace acts in line with its values, it feels easier to trust. When it doesn’t, that trust quickly slips away.
You know when something feels off and you’re not alone
If you’ve ever stayed quiet about something that felt wrong, you’re not the only one. One study found that 19% of team members didn’t report an issue because they didn’t believe anything would change. Others stayed silent out of fear, or because they didn’t know how to speak up (Gallup, 2022).
When things go unspoken, it doesn’t mean they go unnoticed. That silence can create uncertainty and chip away at confidence, especially when integrity isn’t being modelled clearly from the top.
Ethics aren’t just for HR, they shape your experience too
Ethical decision-making can sound like something formal or far removed, but in reality, it’s part of how you experience your job every day. Whether someone’s giving honest feedback, making a hiring decision, or responding to a team conflict, those actions either build trust or erode it.
CIPD explains that values act as our moral compass. When decisions are made with those values in mind, they can actually improve people’s work experiences and wellbeing. And when the culture supports it, you’re more likely to feel empowered to do the right thing, rather than just follow rules.
What it looks like in practice
Ethical decision-making might look like a team leader explaining the reasoning behind a restructuring or a colleague checking in when they notice a comment didn’t land well. It could be a moment where someone challenges an unfair assumption or simply asks, “Are we sure this aligns with what we stand for?”
These everyday moments matter because they build a shared culture, one where fairness, inclusion, and accountability are real, not just aspirational.
What you can do - even if you're not ‘in charge’
Even if you don’t have a formal leadership role, the way you make choices still counts and you don’t need permission to lead with values.
You can ask thoughtful questions. You can pause to think about the impact before reacting. You can listen carefully when someone raises a concern and support them. You can speak up when something feels wrong or help make space for others to do so.
Small actions create signals. And those signals shape culture.
Conclusion
Ethical decision-making isn’t about being perfect, it’s about paying attention. It’s about trying to do the right thing, even when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient.
When you lead with your values, it encourages others to do the same. And when your organisation supports that kind of behaviour, it creates a place where people feel safe, respected, and genuinely connected.
That’s the kind of workplace worth being part of.
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