Handle Workplace Ethical Issues Like a Pro by Asking 5 Questions

In a perfect world, everyone would live their life based on the same set of moral ground rules. But as we all find out eventually, people do have wildly different ethical standards and interpretations of what is right and wrong. And when each person brings a different set of morals to the conference room table, ethical issues will inevitably arise at the workplace.

The unfortunate truth is, even the most honest and upright person will encounter an ethical dilemma at some point in his career. It is just a matter of when. 

And now that everything in the working world is still in flux due to the unique pressures of the pandemic, we are seeing a shift in values and preferences among working professionals around the world. This is particularly true for Malaysia’s workforce, whose job preferences in 2020 showed a marked difference from those of 2018. Most notably, Flexible Schedules & Workplaces edged out Company Values in the Top 10. It should come as no surprise, then, if ethical issues start cropping up now.

How do you protect yourself and your company when these problems arise? The first order of business should be recognising them as they develop. It helps to familiarise yourself with the common sources of ethical issues in the workplace.

Common Sources of Ethical Issues in the Workplace

1. Ethical Issues of Conscience

You know you are creating a personal ethical dilemma when you find yourself asking questions such as: 

• Should I call in sick and just avoid work today? 
• Can I use office equipment for my personal projects?

Even jobseekers are not immune. Instead of keeping their online candidate profiles honest and updated, some consider embellishing their resumes in the hopes of increasing their chances of success.

The post-COVID world of remote work presents unique opportunities for these situations to emerge, too: 

• Will they notice I’m playing a video game if I turn off the video camera during videoconference meetings? 
• Who’s going to know if I take a power nap while working from home?

2. Ethical Issues From Outside Your Sphere of Influence

And then there are ethical dilemmas that stem from sources other than yourself.

Unethical leadership is a prime example. It could be as subtle as an employer asking inappropriate interview questions.  Or it could be as blatant as a boss manipulating numbers just to reach an unrealistic goal.

To younger Malaysian professionals who value diversity and inclusion in the workplace, company cultures with gender biases will be constant sources of moral stress.

A misbehaving colleague is another source of such dilemmas. It may be easy to ignore a coworker who misuses the company’s technology assets while working from home. But should you?

A difficult client is one thing, but the client/customer/supplier who has a habit of asking you for questionable favours is a different story altogether.

How To Deal When Ethical Issues Arise

When faced with a moral dilemma of conscience at the workplace, it would be wise to ask yourself the following questions.

1. How will others perceive my actions?

Some of these ethical dilemmas of conscience may seem harmless, but they do cost the company money. What will it cost you? Your reputation. Keep in mind that your ethics are always on display, even when working remotely. Always be mindful of what your actions say about you.

For ethical issues coming from outside the sphere of your influence, a more comprehensive set of questions is in order.

2. Am I rationalising?

Experts say the most common way people cope with ethical dilemmas from outside sources is to rationalise and arrive at statements such as: 

• It’s not a big deal. 
• This is not my responsibility. 
• This is how things have always been done around here. 

Oftentimes, these statements come from fear of confrontation and retaliation.

3. What is really at risk?

Clarify the reasons for your unease with a particular ethical issue. Ask yourself: 

• What is the value that is being violated by this? 
• Is it just my morals that are at odds with this issue? Or are the company values at stake here? 

Being clear about what and whose values are at risk will help you decide how to respond to the ethical issue at hand.

4. Why is this person acting this way?

Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and try to understand the motivation behind their ethical misconduct. Consider: Do they even know that what they’re doing is wrong? 

Gaining perspective can help you decide whether you should address the ethical issue, and how. 

5. What are the pros and cons of speaking up about this?

You want to be very thorough when weighing action versus the consequences. It would be easy to call out all ethical issues at work; but the fact remains that jobs, relationships, and even lives may be at stake. Only your moral compass can tell you what you are willing to risk, and over which issues.

Hopefully, the questions above will help strengthen your ethical decision-making skills. If you do decide to speak up, experts suggest talking to the person doing the ethical misdeeds first. Give them a chance to explain themselves and/or change their behaviour. 

Rehearsing what to say beforehand will help you conduct the conversation in a brief, thorough, and objective manner. You want to come in asking questions, not making accusations. The person’s answers to your objective queries should be enough for you to decide whether to drop the issue, resolve it by suggesting ethical alternatives, or escalate the matter to a higher-up.

Remember, ethical issues in the workplace are not always severe. Sometimes, it is just a case of different values clashing at work. It would be wise to educate yourself on the trending preferences of working professionals such as yourself. Download Jobstreet's Decoding Global Talent Report #2 to get valuable and current insight into the Malaysian workforce and the global talent pool psyche.

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