This paper aims to examine how employees of a large Slovak energy company perceive selected elements of the company’s ethics programme (EP) and how these perceptions relate to ethical behaviour in the workplace. It also explores whether attitudes toward key EP components differ according to employees’ education, job position and length of service within the organization.
The study applies a single-company case study design with a quantitative, questionnaire-based survey. Data were collected online from 118 employees (42% response rate) of ZSE Energia, a.s., and focused on four EP elements: (P1) ethical and communication training, (P2) employee care (benefits and well-being measures), (P3) conflict-of-interest monitoring and anti-corruption policy and (P4) transparency in stakeholder relations. Responses were measured predominantly on a five-point Likert scale and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s chi-square tests and Z-scores for differences in proportions across employee groups defined by education, job position and tenure.
All four EP components are generally perceived as suitable tools for supporting ethical behaviour, with transparency in stakeholder relations (P4) and ethical and communication training (P1) receiving the strongest endorsement. Conflict-of-interest monitoring and the anti-corruption policy (P3) are also evaluated positively, while employee care (P2) is viewed favourably overall but with more ambivalence. Job position is significantly associated with perceptions of employee care: traders and sellers tend to see benefits and allowances as a strong ethical support, whereas analysts are more hesitant. No statistically significant differences in attitudes are identified with respect to education level or length of service.
The research is limited to a single company in the Slovak energy sector, with a relatively small sample size (n = 118) and a cross-sectional, self-reported design. These features constrain the generalisability and causal interpretation of the results. Future studies could extend the analysis to multiple firms, different industries and ownership structures and combine quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews or longitudinal designs to capture the dynamics and implementation of ethics programmes over time.
The findings suggest that, from employees’ perspective, ethics programmes in Slovak companies should balance formal tools (such as training, codes and anti-corruption policies) with visible care for employees and transparent stakeholder relations. Managers are encouraged to monitor how different groups of employees perceive specific EP elements and to adapt communication and implementation accordingly, particularly in the area of employee benefits and well-being. Regular feedback from staff can help ensure that ethics initiatives are not only formally in place but are also viewed as fair, credible and relevant across hierarchical levels.
By aligning ethics programmes with the expectations of diverse employee groups, organizations in transition economies such as Slovakia can strengthen a culture of integrity, enhance internal trust and contribute to more responsible business conduct. Robust EPs that combine transparency, anti-corruption measures and employee care may help reduce the space for unethical practices and support broader societal efforts to improve ethical standards in business.
The paper offers one of the few empirical analyses of ethics programme effectiveness from the viewpoint of employees in the Slovak business context. Rather than focusing solely on managers or formal codes, it provides a fine-grained picture of how specific EP elements are experienced by staff in different positions and at different stages of their employment. In doing so, it highlights the importance of tailoring ethics programmes to the structure of the workforce and to the realities of post-socialist corporate cultures.
