Table 4 Final model of categorisation

Enhanced emotional support*

1. Enhances possibility to share difficult emotions and thoughts with co-workers

[5, 8, 10]

2. Strengthens my self-confidence when managing ethically difficult situations

[10]

3. Enables me to better manage the stress caused by ethically difficult situations

[6, 8, 23, 32]

4. Increases awareness of my own emotions regarding ethically difficult situations

[5, 14]

5. I feel more secure to express doubts or uncertainty regarding ethically difficult situations

[6, 8, 33, 34]

Enhanced collaboration

6. Greater opportunity for everyone to have their say

[8, 10]

7. Better mutual understanding of each other’s reasoning and acting

[8, 10, 21]

8. Enhances mutual respect amongst co-workers

[2, 14, 21]

9. I and my co-workers manage disagreements more constructively

[1, 35]

10. More open communication among co-workers

[2, 8, 10, 21]

Improved moral reflexivity

11. Develops my skills to analyse ethically difficult situations

[1, 6, 15, 35, 36]

12. Increases my awareness of the complexity of ethically difficult situations

[9, 21]

13. Develops my ability to identify the core ethical question in the difficult situations

[10, 15, 21, 34, 37]

14. I see the ethically difficult situations from different perspectives

[8–10, 14, 21, 38]

15. Enhances my understanding of ethical theories (ethical principles, values and norms)

[15, 34]

Improved moral attitude

16. I become more aware of my preconceived notions

[6, 10, 12]

17. I gain more clarity about my own responsibility in the ethically difficult situations

[9, 10, 12]

18. I listen more seriously to others’ opinions

[14, 21]

19. Gives me more courage to express my ethical standpoint

[21]

20. I understand better what it means to be a good professional

[21]

Impact on organizational level

21. I and my co-workers become more aware of recurring ethically difficult situations

[33, 35]

22. Contributes to the development of practice/policies in the workplace

[21]

23. I and my co-workers examine more critically the existing practice/policies in the workplace/organization

(new)

Concrete results

24. Find more courses of actions in order to manage the ethically difficult situation

[34, 35, 39, 40]

25. Consensus is gained amongst co-workers in how to manage the ethically difficult situations

[9, 15, 40]

26. Enables me and my co-workers to decide on concrete actions in order to manage the ethically difficult situations

[2, 15, 36, 37]