PRACTICAL PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

Doing Your Homework

There’s no doubt that you’ll encounter ethical dilemmas—every employee probably encounters hundreds of them during a career; the only thing in doubt is when. Your mission is to be as prepared as possible before you run into a problem. The more informed you are the more effective you’ll be in protecting yourself and your employer. The best ways to do that are to learn the rules of your organization and your profession, and to develop relationships that can help you if and when the need arises.

You can learn the rules in various ways. First, read your company’s code of ethics (if it has one) and policy manual. Since most policy manuals are huge, you obviously can’t memorize one. If you skim the contents, some of the rules will sink in—you may not remember the exact policy, but at least you’ll probably remember that one exists and where to find it.

Second, ask questions. Managers, executives, and peers will admire your initiative when you ask what they think is ‘‘important around here.’’ Since many organizational standards are unwritten, and they differ from company to company, the best way to find out about them is by asking. Query your coworkers (including management) about what kinds of ethical situations are most common in your organization and how your organization generally handles those issues. Ask your manager how to raise ethical issues within your organization. Since he or she will certainly tell you to raise an issue with him or her first, be sure to find out how you raise an issue in your manager’s absence. This not only gives you a road map for raising issues, but it also sends a signal to your manager that ethics are important to you.

Finally, develop relationships with people outside of your chain of command.

Get to know people in human resources, legal, audit, and other departments; they might be able to provide information, help you raise an issue or determine if something even is an issue, or vouch for your credibility in a crisis. You might also want to join a professional group or association. Many professions have developed ethical standards apart from those that may exist in your company, and it can be helpful to know other people in your profession who can advise you if a crisis arises in your company. Some may say this is being political, but we think it’s just plain smart to network with people outside of your immediate job and company. It’s the difference between being a victim of circumstance and having the power, the knowledge, and the network to help manage circumstances.

After you’ve done your homework and learned about your company’s standards and values, you may find that your values and your employer’s values are in conflict. If the conflict is substantial, you may have no choice but to look for work in another organization.