I know it all too well. That glazed-over look; that look of quiet (and not so quiet) resignation when executives are asked to attend a meeting about “ethics.” As a business ethics keynote speaker and consultant, who has spoken to numerous audiences on corporate social responsibility and best professional ethical practices, I fully understand the topic can be approached in one of two ways. Simply put, the topic of business ethics can be taught as dry as the Sahara in summer or dynamic, empowering, alive and relevant. It is the approach to business ethics I choose to take.
Relevant – that’s the issue
In my work and life’s passion, keynote speaking on corporate ethics, I believe business ethics is more important than it has ever been, and numerous experts agree with me. An ethics consultancy quoted in a 2021 Forbes article tried to find the roots of the so-called “Great Resignation,” conveyed a thought I have long endorsed as an ethics author and ethical keynote speaker: upper management likes the concept of ethical behavior, but they can’t convey it. Said the article:
“[The] ethical performance model looks at such aspects as the extent to which an organization is purpose-driven and ethical, whether ethical behaviour is a factor in rewards, whether standards of conduct are applied consistently across the organization, levels of trust and transparency and whether the leadership models an ethical culture.”
Employees who had a choice of job openings following the pandemic were influenced by poor ethical behavior. In a Hearst Newspapers article at the start of 2022, a Texas A&M global business ethics study was summarized as follows:
“49% of U.S. employees have witnessed misconduct that violated their organization’s ethical standards. Rates of reporting the misconduct have risen to an all-time high of 86%. Unfortunately, retaliation rates have skyrocketed along with the increase in reporting, with 79% of U.S. employees reporting retaliation.”
What is the role that ethics should have in business?
Given the recent studies and surveys, the role of ethical behavior in business is not only relevant, but has increasingly become a motivator to “encourage” employees to leave their workplaces. As an ethics keynote speaker and author, I am not at all surprised by this fact.
If, about half of the employees in various workplaces have witnessed or experienced unethical behavior, then reported it – and were retaliated against, where would we think they would go?
Salary and benefits are motivators to be sure, but not surprisingly, employees want an ethically driven, transparent, open and safe environment in which to work. If an organization tacitly gives a nod to “retaliation” on any level, the unethical behaviors clearly implicate behaviors to the highest levels.
When we think of unethical workplace behavior, we might believe petty fraud, “corner cutting,” bribery or theft is at hand, but rest assured it can encompass a lot more. As a business ethics consultant, I have addressed numerous cases of workplace bullying, sexual harassment, worker safety, LGBTQ+, gender, racial and religious discrimination issues. To think that an employee has experienced any of those unethical behaviors, reported it and then was retaliated against is an unthinkable and unacceptable outcome.
The role that ethics should have in business is expanding, and it will expand to all areas of corporate life. Well into the foreseeable future ethics will go from a Ho-hum, tangential business issue to assuming a center-stage role. Ethical companies are well-performing and well-operating organizations. They will attract top talent and they will succeed.
To ignore business ethics in any of its broadest reaches, is to ignore the basic rights and motivators behind employee retention, happiness, “safety” and a desire to build a career.
In my work as a business ethics keynote speaker I have seen something reinforced over and over again: to be successful, we must treat employees, vendors and customers with ethical respect. Anything less is unacceptable.
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