In Today's World It Is Hard to Realize the Right and Wrong in a Situation

In today’s world it is hard to realize the right and wrong in a situation. It is not always a black and white situation. The wrong decision might seem more appealing or may seem like the right decision. Placed in a business setting, employees and organizations are held to a certain standard of ethical responsibility. When faced with an ethical dilemma, what is an employee’s responsibility in the situation? In addition, what is the organization’s responsibility? When an employee has to make a choice between loyalty to friends or loyalty to their company, the right decision become murky.

Jan’s Dilemma

Jan works for the Human Resources Department at JLT Cincinnati. Jan helped Steve get an accounting position at the company. While talking to Evelyn, Steve’s aunt, Jan learns that Steve and his wife are putting down a deposit on their first house. Jan knows that the company is transferring the local accounting team to Wichita, and Steve will most likely be let go. With downsizing the last hired are first to go. Jan does not know if she should stay quiet because the company has not release this information or inform her friend. Jan is faced with the ethical dilemma between being loyal to her employer or to her friend. This is a conflict of loyalty. Jan needs to be loyal to her employer and not inform her friend. The primary responsibility of an employee is to their employer. Jan will violate business ethics by informing Evelyn of the business’s downsize. Despite wanting to stay loyal to her friend she has to keep company information confidential. She might be able to convince a manager, who has the appropriate authority, to inform Steve. That way, Steve and his wife can reconsider making an offer on a house with Steve’s unemployment on the horizon.

Employee’s Role/ Responsibility in Ethical Situations

In the working environment there are factors that can contribute to employees not operating ethically. Employees must be able to realize the difference between a bribe and a reasonable gift. Anything given that is overly generous or given to influence a decision is a bribe and by accepting violated company policy (Exploring Business, 2014). Other factors