As we all know, the economy is in rough shape. If you have a job right now, consider yourself lucky! However, what happens if the job you are currently working at requires you to do unethical work? Your boss wants you to go against your own morals or maybe do illegal booking, or any other type of illegal acts. How do you handle this situation and make sure you don’t get tied into the mess?
You have to protect yourself.
Shel Horowitz, author and expert in business ethics advises, “Document everything: the ethics violation, your response, the response of your boss, any actions you took external to the company, any supporting paperwork. Using your non-work e-mail account, send yourself a copy, and send another copy to a trusted outsider who does not work for your company and will do nothing with the information but hold onto it for now. If you get fired either for refusing to perform the unethical action or for being a whistleblower, you may need this in court.”
I had a friend who worked with an unethical boss. In order to make their quotes they made up numbers. She was lucky enough to find another job and got the heck out of there. Remember, documentation is key!
Dr. Don Nations, business and professional coach, an Adjunct in the College of Psychology and Behavior Sciences at Argosy University provided a few options that may help people who find themselves in this situation:
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If you are very uncomfortable with your current work environment and do not seem able to change it, then it could make sense to begin looking for another job. You likely would not want to quit before having another job but just taking part in the search for one may feel empowering.
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If your boss asks you to tell a caller that he/she is out of the office, you might be able to satisfy the request and not lie by simply saying something like "he/she is not available" or "he/she cannot come to the phone" or even "may I take a message as he/she is engaged in other matters at the moment". These accomplish his/her purpose (not speaking to the person) without causing you to lie.
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If you are told to do something that is also illegal, you can choose to not obey the request. There may be consequences in the workplace but a defense of "but my boss told me to do it" is unlikely to help you avoid criminal or civil liability for your actions.
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Be ethical in your actions. Set a positive example. Make your values clear by the way you live your life. You have to consistently live your values or that will be noticeable to others as well.
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It is easier to act unethically when you are in an environment where others act unethically. Resist the temptation to "go along to get along".
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Know the personnel manual at least as well as your boss. There is likely a process spelled out by the employer concerning addressing such issues.
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Consider a lateral transfer. Perhaps there is a similar job open within the company but with a boss who is more in line with your values.
Being in this situation can be extremely tough, especially with the economy we are dealing with today. Just protect yourself and look for other opportunities out there.
Have you ever been or known someone who has been in this situation before? How did you or the person you know handle it?
