As a business ethics motivational keynote speaker, business ethics consultant and book author, I am interested, of course in what is termed, the 7 common ethical issues facing business today, in these post-Covid times.
To be truthful, as I was presenting an overview in Part 1 of this series, I quickly realized the 7 common ethical issues could just as easily be 10 or more. Executive leaders are under constant ethical pressure from multiple sources. Nevertheless, the pressures upon workers to perform in these times are often multiple times of what management is experiencing. All too often these pressures are minimized, and dismissed.
In this transitional time of hybrid workplaces, I can’t recall when business ethics has been more tested than it is right now.
Clear, business ethics thinking, please
Unfortunately, in this period when corporate social responsibility and business ethics are undergoing these “tests,” leadership and employees are at odds with one another as never before.
While I write my posts to be evergreen in nature, I will break my rule and point out that just today, the New York Times’ leadership is demanding that its 1,300 employees must return to the office at least three days a week. The employees are balking and in addition are asking for raises. The sides are at odds. The Times is joined by several major organizations such as JP Morgan, who are making even more stringent demands. They want everyone back full-time.
What the outcomes of these corporate strains may be, I cannot predict, but I do know these workplace stressors are only adding to a widening gulf. As an ethics speaker and ethics consultant, I must stress the importance of clear business ethics thinking and response rather than anger and knee-jerk reaction.
At the top of the list of 7 (or more) common ethical issues facing business today we should explore “abuse of leadership” as being right at the top of problems.
Abuse of Executive Power
I cited the situation at the Times not for the issue itself, but the way in which management steam-rolled the process. During the pandemic, workers were getting the job done and at the same time, they were avoiding the (sometimes) ridiculously long commutes, expenses of New York City office life, expenses of child and/or pet care, many of the unnecessarily long and counter-productive staff meetings and what is often referred to office politics. Certainly, workers everywhere can relate to those problems. It is exacerbated in large cities.
It is easy for upper management to dictate to workers to share workspaces, “huddle rooms” and cubicles and such, for upper management people have offices with doors, higher pay and perks. It creates mistrust.
However, the mistrust stemming from abuses of executive power far pre-dates the pandemic. Authority has been misused; nepotism has flourished; harassment, bias, and intolerance have festered; unreasonable and unethical demands have been imposed; credit for outstanding work has been usurped; bullying has flourished.
In my motivational business ethics talks at venues across America, I have had many employees confide about bosses receiving vendor payoffs, improper gifts, lavish trips involving family members, and other violations of the so-called codes of conducts of the organizations.
Further, the mistrust has occurred because of inconsistent application of flawed ethical codes. Perhaps the most egregious examples include a “whistle blower” reporting sexual harassment/work place bullying or acts of bribery and/or padded expense reports and then the report getting leaked.
If there is no safety in confidentiality and the breach stems from upper management (often penalizing the whistle blower) how can any forum of mutual trust and respect be honored?
It is easy to list 7 common ethical issues facing business today, or more. The real question is if upper management takes those ethical problems seriously or pays lip-service and ignores the problem.
Whether the New York Times or a small manufacturing facility in South Carolina, the dynamic between upper management and worker must reflect a commitment to ethical behavior.
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