Your code of ethics is there to help
Among APTS members, some of 32,000 of you belong to a professional order. This means you’re committed to fulfilling the duties and responsibilities laid out in your code of ethics, and any failure to do so can lead to significant sanctions.
It’s important to be familiar with your code of ethics, not only to avoid problems, but also to be able to take a position with your manager if you think that your workload is in conflict with your ethical obligations. Every code includes sections that address this issue: you should get to know those sections.
A difficult tension
Your employer has management rights, but cannot either knowingly or unknowingly impose directives or work methods that contradict your code of ethics and cause you to ignore your professional duties and responsibilities. Your employer may try to do this anyway.
The tension between your employer’s demands and your ethical duties will then add to your experienced workload (see Factsheet No. 1). For this reason, among others, your collective agreement contains clauses that can protect you in situations where this dilemma arises.
Setting your limits
In some situations, you need to say no right away. For instance: “I can’t take charge of this service user because from a professional point of view, I can’t ensure their safety.” Or: “It’s impossible for me to handle the number of service users that are assigned to me without a negative impact on my work.”
Say that you’re open to looking for solutions. That’s the best way of taking things up with your manager, who is responsible for creating a work organization context that will enable you to fulfill your obligations.
Be ready to point to any documentation that could help you: terms of reference, standards of practice guides or institutional codes of ethics. These are great tools that lend weight to your refusal, even if you aren’t governed by a professional order.
One for all and all for one
It’s important that people assert themselves individually, and this must be encouraged. And it’s also crucially important that people break their isolation and act together in these kinds of situations.
When you’re alone, you are more vulnerable to the tactics of the manager who may want to make you change your mind by using specious arguments such as claiming that you are disorganized or less productive than your colleagues, or by playing on your perfectionism or your desire to do more.
As much as possible, avoid acting alone in facing your manager. This will reduce your risk – solidarity is your best friend. Also, group action is more likely to lead to solutions in cases of work overload.
Remember that your local union team is there to help you. Don’t hesitate to get in touch!