An Ethical Dilemma

In this paper I will be discussing the ethical dilemma that Jan is faced with and what I think she should do concerning it. I will be explaining factors that contribute to employees not operating ethically in business and the steps that employees an take to make the most appropriate decision. Lastly, I will explain the steps an organization can take to ensure that all parts of the organization operate ethically.
Jan is an employee for JLT Cincinnati, she works in the Human Resources Department. She knows that the company will be moving and having drawbacks which will likely result in her neighbor’s nephew, Steve, losing his job. She suggested the job to Steve and he is so happy with how everything turned out that he is about to move forward and put a deposit down to buy a home. If she doesn’t let Steve know then he will be in quite the bind if he gets laid off. Considering the business isn’t announcing anything for a few more week Jan may not be obligated to say anything. In my opinion, Jan should inform Steve that there will be some drawbacks and that seniority is a major factor when downsizing.
Some factors that generally contribute to employees not operating ethically could be breakdowns of integrity collectively cost businesses billions of dollars in litigation, fraudulent financial acts, increased costs, fines, reputation and image damage, customer/client trust, lost sales and recovery costs, and potentially land senior management in prison. [1] Integrity management should be a priority not only because it is legally required, but because it is the right thing to do. Employees who know that particular workplace decisions, behaviors, and processes exist in an ethically judged context are more aware and motivated to act ethically. [2, 3] One step that an employee can take to make an appropriate decision is, to ask employees to look at each person’s perspective.
Organizations can initiate the following five proactive steps that can move their organizations towards integrity continuity goals and objectives. First, establish explicit ethical goals and criteria. Secondly, demonstrate commitment to ethical goals and criteria. Third step, communicate ethical expectations and train workforce to enact ethical goals and criteria. Next, assess and monitor employee behavior and decisions. Lastly, maintain on-going proactive integrity continuity management. [4] To prevent ethical mishaps, put a training program in place to help employees make better decisions. Ethical misconduct could lead to a disruption in your business dealings and pose a threat to your organization. Not only is it important to teach employees how to make ethical decisions, but also how to handle ethical misconduct. [5, 6]
In conclusion, it is not uncommon for organizations to have employees facing ethical dilemmas and ethical decisions. As long as the business has prepared and done proper training in handling the situation they will be able to get through it. I think the biggest step for employees is to look at it in another person’s perspective. Not everyone has the same beliefs so something one person finds wrong another may find right and vice versa. Decision making in business ethics usually requires companies to identify specific ethical standards, which often means different things to different people. As organizations continue to grow and expand, new individuals are hired who may not have the same ethical standards as individuals already working in the company. A difference in ethics often changes how individuals approach the decision-making process. Companies often use the organization’s mission statement to build a framework for helping individuals make ethical business decisions. [7, 8]

In case you would like to know the in depth steps to help employees make their ethical decision here are four of them:
Step 1- Write up a code of ethics for your business and