Ethics after Enron...

If you are a regular reader of the Wall Street Journal, IBJ, Indianapolis Star or any of the dozens of other magazines and newspapers dedicated to business, it is hard not to feel a little discouraged at times.  It seems that every day at least one company announces the need to restate earnings due to accounting errors or another high profile executive is caught in the stock options backdating scandal.  Colleges and universities have not been able to escape the limelight either, with several of the country's most well know institutions having engaged in what appear to be, at the very least, questionable practices regarding student loans.  Imagine my surprise when I read that Notre Dame, my alma mater, was swept up in the student loan probe. 

I'm not as cynical as the previous paragraph may suggest, but I do believe that these issues highlight how important it is, even 5+ years after the Enron debacle, for every individual to understand the important role ethics occupy in the workplace.  Most of us can confidently say that we have a set of beliefs and follow our own set of moral and ethical guidelines in our personal lives, but what about when we are at work.  Do the same standards apply or are we a little more lax in our application of ethical standards?

Yesterday the Career Placement Office offered its 3rd workshop in our Issues in the Workplace Series (webasts of previous workshops).  Jackie Smith, the Network Privacy & Compliance Officer for Community Health Network, led an incredibly interactive and thought-provoking workshop entitled Ethics in Business.

Here is one of the many scenarios we discussed for you to consider:

Scenario: You are going on your first business trip for your company.  This is a 2 week engagement.  You decide to go out to dinner at Ruths' Chris (I would choose St. Elmo's, but it's not my scenario).  It is more expensive than what you would normally pay for dinner.  Should you charge it to your expense account?

Additional information: It is your last night and you are taking a client out to dinner.  How expensive of a restaurant should you select?  Is Ruths' Chris too much?  Do you charge both meals to your account?

Even more additional info: The client makes references to attending a strip club after dinner.  What do you do?

Most of us face these types of ethical dilemmas, or even smaller ones at work.  Very few of us are in the position to decide how to account for $12,000,000 in stock options.  Instead we wonder how we should feel about ourselves or colleagues taking home a few office supplies or surfing the internet at work.  The important thing is that we at least spend some time thinking about how we apply our ethics in the workplace. 

Jackie suggested that when confronted with an ethical dilemma in the workplace you should begin by asking yourself the following questions to determine if you are on thin ice:

• What would this look like in the newspaper?
• What would I tell my child to do?
• Will I sleep soundly tonight?
• How would I feel if my family and friends knew what I was doing?
• Am I being fair and honest?
• If you are still unsure, seek guidance from someone whom you trust and respect.