Daily Ethical Dilemmas in Business
Ethical dilemmas in business are a common occurrence, and they arise daily. Ethical dilemmas are issues of morality that deal with decisions between two or more moral principles or choices. These are also considered difficult decisions where one may be right and the other wrong. The point is to develop the best attitude toward ethical decisions and problems.
Daily Ethical Dilemmas in Business
1. Avoidance of Too Much Management:
According to Jordan Sudberg, an employee is employed by a company, and the employer expects the employee to manage situations in which they may feel annoyed. It is the right thing to do, but the employee hates doing it. They then start avoiding it as much as possible. The issue is that avoiding too much management is not fair to the employer and should be reported. This can lead to dismissal and a ruined reputation concerning other colleagues, customers, and business partners.
2. Rejection of a Gift Offered by a Client:
A businessperson once offered a gift to a client. The other side did not appreciate the offer and declined it. But later, the client returned and requested a discount from the same businessperson. He refused despite knowing his skill had not changed, nor did he have any extra information. Then, the client no longer trusted him and refused to buy anything from him or give him any referrals. Even though he tried hard to convince them, they rejected it with reasons like: “We never accept gifts.”
3. Workplace Romance:
A businessperson is dating a colleague or an employee of the same company. Employees are allowed to date if it is in the off-hours, and still, it has to be in moderation. Sometimes, the boss and subordinate will have a relationship, which may interfere with the working atmosphere. This could lead to favoritism in terms of promotions and an application for leave if the employee becomes pregnant. There are also other factors, such as an increase in absenteeism whenever there is a conflict between the couple because their relationship has gone sour, when communication is absent due to work-related issues, or when they want privacy which demotivates colleagues and leads to lesser productivity.
4. Theft and Fraud:
Thievery is frowned upon by all and is against the laws of certain states, countries, and companies. If the businessperson or employee has committed theft, there will be legal action, and you may be asked to pay fines or lose your job. In some cases, people have been fired for stealing from the company. It is important to note that it does not mean that no one steals from the company, which raises another concern, injury to the company’s image, as well as other concerns, such as who will accept responsibility for this crime if there is a report filed against you.
5. Cheating:
According to Sudberg, this is very bad, unethical, and immoral. Everyone has to be fair and honest at all times, which includes no intimate relations with co-workers or clients. In some cases, there may be a relationship where the person wants or needs to have favors from a particular client, which affects the way that person behaves towards the client. This shows that some employees are insecure about their work, such as stealing from clients and colleagues, like: “I’m always looking for an unfair advantage in work.”
Jordan Sudberg is a pain management specialist. This book focuses on the daily difficulties that happen in businesses. He covers all the issues and points out the common mistakes that most people make when faced with an ethical dilemma.