By: Editorial Staff, Date: March 16th, 2021
The workforce never imagined a collective experiment in remote work, not until during the COVID-19 crisis. While many companies danced around the idea of telecommuting, it had never been adopted widescale with the traditional office paradigm still the dominant approach across industries. However, with an infectious pandemic, we were all forced to embrace change. Coming out of the other side of the tunnel, workplaces now face an entirely new set of work ethics issues.
Diligence and Accountability
Ideally, every worker takes their employment commitment seriously when hired and does his or her utmost to support the organization’s interest regardless of work location. This principle is based on the age-old concept of having a good character, a sense of responsibility, and discipline to not confuse personal wants with duties owed to another. However, remote work has fuzzed the lines considerably, especially given a person is literally working in their own private home where personal interests are paramount.
Life Balance Matters Even More
Ethical behavior in remote work comes with life balance and work productivity. However, these are difficult to achieve, given the various household distractions. Just because they are at home, companies can’t expect employees to be available 24/7 electronically, and employees need to be willing to dedicate the time and space to their work duties versus trying to mix everything up. At the same time companies need to do their part providing the equipment and tools to make work life happen remotely as well. It is vital for companies to keep track of their employee’s needs and develop strategies to address the emerging ethical issues when working remotely. When employees can maintain life balance, they do far better with fewer temptations and challenges.
Note: The Knowledge Group continuously produces webcasts on this topic and other hot-buttons issues relating to Legal Ethics/Professional Responsibility to keep you ahead of the curve.
Upcoming Webcasts
Avoiding Insurance Bad Faith Claims: A Guide for Policyholders and Insurers
Bad faith litigation remains complex and risky due to unprecedented legal developments and challenges that continue to emerge. Recent court rulings highlight how insurance companies can still be accountable for bad faith if they unreasonably refuse to pay a legitimate claim or settle a third-party claim or lawsuit and the policyholder wins at trial. As the evolving regulatory landscape continues to bring new issues that could affect how “bad faith” applies in future cases, insurers should stay informed to effectively manage their business operations in compliance with legal requirements. On the policyholder side, certain states recognize “reverse bad faith” as a cause of action assertable by insurers, and in other states insurers can assert the insured’s bad faith or misconduct as an affirmative defense to bad faith claims. The speakers will address issues policyholders might face in these jurisdictions.