I forgot my...
You forgot to prepare a presentation for a client that is coming in an hour. You offer your coworker a significant amount of money to allow you to take credit for their work on a project presentation. Is it ethical for your coworker to accept this payment, since you're in a bind?
No! This is not ethical because it breaks the line of trust between you and your coworker. Accepting money in exchange for allowing someone else to take credit for your work is dishonest and undermines the principles of fairness and integrity in the workplace.
You're attending a work-related dinner with coworkers, and one of them offers to expense the entire bill to their company credit card to earn rewards points, even though it's against company policy.
Not ethical. Exploiting company policies for personal gain, such as accruing rewards points, is dishonest and violates the trust placed in employees to adhere to company guidelines.
You receive an expensive watch from a supplier as a thank-you for awarding them a contract. Is it ethical to accept this gift?
NO! This is NOT ethical. Accepting expensive gifts from suppliers can create conflicts of interest and compromise your impartiality in business dealings. Tell your supervisor about the gift and send it back with a thank you card explaining why you cannot accept the gift. As much as it hurts, you get to keep your job by the end of it!
You are subcontracted as the electrician on a job site and you forgot to put on a pair of work pants when getting ready this morning! It would take an hour to go back and change and you need to get your work done for tomorrow's site inspection. The construction manager on the job hands you a pair of $150 Lululemon cargos, perfect timing for your predicament. Can you accept these pants?
Yes, but you can't keep them! You can borrow things that might be handed to you as a gift if you let your supervisor know. It is unethical to accept such a pricey gift as it might be seen as persuasion to get the job done well in time for the inspection.
Let's say you're a project manager at a construction firm, and you're responsible for awarding contracts to various contractors for different projects. One day, a contractor that entered the bid for your projects invites you to lunch at an upscale restaurant. During lunch, the contractor offers to pay for anything off the menu with the intention that you will award him the project. Is this ethical?
No! This is unethical, you can break the trust of other contractors wanting the job. It is also unethical to be persuaded or coerced with a meal even if it might align with the company budget.
You work at a private manufacturing plant and your company needs more conveyor belts. There are a few vendors to choose from, but one in particular offers you a free conveyor system. They will provide you with this service if you agree on a handshake to hire them for any future projects. Is it ethical to accept this gift?
No! Taking a bribe to give a job is considered highly unethical. You must select the contractor in a fair and unbiased manner.
Uh oh! Your car wouldn't start and you took the bus to work. You are building up an appetite and borrow your coworker's personal car for a lunch break without asking for permission. They gave you permission a week ago to pick up tools for a job. Now you need a car to go get some Culvers for that midday cheese curd craving. Was it ethical to borrow their car?
No! This is NOT ethical. Borrowing personal belongings without permission is a violation of personal boundaries and is considered unethical.
A consulting engineer who has done considerable work for a public body makes it a practice to take certain staff engineering employees of the agency to lunch or dinner three or four times a year, at an average cost of $5 per person. Is it ethical to attend these luncheons?
Yes, occasional free luncheons or dinners of relatively small value do not exceed the bounds of ethical behavior by the giver or receiver. This luncheon/dinner can also encourage open communication between the parties.
As a manager, you give bonuses to your direct reports based on their willingness to work overtime without properly compensating them for their extra hours.
Not ethical! Failing to compensate employees for their overtime work while still expecting them to put in extra hours sets a precedent for exploitation and is unethical. Review your company's policies and ask about overtime pay prior to accepting the job or extra work!
You're a project manager responsible for delivering a critical report to a client by the end of the day. However, you realize that you forgot to bring important documents needed to complete the report, which are still sitting on your desk at the office. You have the option to ask a colleague to retrieve the documents and send them to you, but doing so might delay the report's delivery. Your colleague is down to grab the documents for you if you pay him $50. Is it ethical for you to pay for him to grab these documents?
NO! Explore remote options to gather the documents first before asking someone else to take time out of their day/tasks. Try to ask your coworker to do it for free and reason that it is for the success of the project and company. Giving in a bribe from a coworker is not ethical because you should both be working in the best interest of the company.
You are a contractor on a job and receive an invitation to lunch with the project manager to discuss the current project. During lunch, both parties focus on openly discussing project requirements, timelines, and budget constraints. Is getting lunch with the project manager ethical?
Yes! There are no attempts to engage in unethical behavior such as offering bribes or collusion. The lunch serves as an opportunity for open communication and collaboration, ultimately contributing to the success of the project.
Your direct report surprises you with a valuable gift for your birthday, which falls within the company's guidelines for accepting gifts. However, you're concerned that accepting the gift might blur the boundaries between your professional relationship and personal friendship with the employee. Can you accept this gift?
Yes, as long as you can maintain a truly professional work environment with no favoritism between this employee and others. If you feel like this relationship might alter your bias in the workplace, talk to HR.
You forget to lock your computer before leaving the office for the day. A coworker notices and informs you about it after you've already left. You're aware that leaving your computer unlocked violates company security policies and could potentially compromise sensitive information. But going back and locking your computer will make you late to pick up your daughter from soccer practice, which will anger your wife. You offer $100 dollars for your friend to log out of the computer for you, is this an ethical action?
No! Contact IT or a colleague first to see if they can close the computer remotely or in person. Also, this is considered more of a bribe than a gift. Try reaching out to your supervisor to see what you can do about the situation before offering your coworkers gifts/bribes for your mistakes!
You're organizing a work-related dinner event to celebrate a successful project completion, and you're tasked with selecting a restaurant that accommodates diverse dietary preferences and restrictions. However, you need help finding a suitable venue that meets everyone's needs within the allocated budget. Do you prioritize the budget?
No! it's important to prioritize inclusivity and ensure that all attendees feel comfortable and valued so long as you communicate that the budget is okay with your bosses.
You're a senior executive in a company, and your top client offers you an all-expenses-paid trip to an exclusive resort as a token of appreciation for your longstanding partnership. They have already bought the flight tickets and arranged the hotels. You're aware that accepting the trip could be seen as a conflict of interest and may raise questions about the integrity of your business dealings. Declining the offer will jeopardize the client relationship and will impact the company's revenue significantly. How do you navigate the situation?
It is NOT ethical to accept this gift! The proper way to handle this would be to decline the gift and uphold your ethical standards. You can explain that the company policy does not allow you to accept extravagant gifts. You can also explain that by not accepting this gift, you are an ethical business partner, which is another reason to keep their business with you.