Are We Unethical?
Despite the approximately 896 bazillion laws we’ve enacted as a nation in an attempt to force us all to do the right things, it appears that the answer is a louder “YES” than ever before.
We recently asked 3,423 business professionals this question:
Are we getting more or less ethical?
The response? A whopping 65% answered “less,” with only 14% saying “more.” 20% said “same.”
That means that nearly five times as many of our respondents think we’re getting slimier rather than saintlier. Yikes.
Unfortunately, our data mirrors other recent studies which found that:
- 70% of employees say they’ve violated company IT policies.
- A record 65% say they’ve reported bad workplace behavior.
- 13% report being pressured to break work rules (up 63% versus past results).
- 22% have faced retaliation after reporting (up 47%).
On top of all that, there have been countless news stories over the past several months of business leaders, HR professionals and even coaching legends getting fired — with some going to jail — for unethical misconduct.
So, what should employers do to reverse these disturbing trends? Tune in tomorrow to find out.
(Sources: Cisco, Ethics Resource Center)
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Ethics and morality are spiritual issues of the heart and cannot be legislated. The answer lies in a spiritual re-awakening of our people and a cultural change that requires returning to the Biblical principles upon which our country was founded – in our homes, schools, courts, and laws of our land. Nothing else will result in lasting improvement until we re-establish our lost moral foundation and compass for determining “right” and “wrong”. Humanistic philosophy and relativism has been taught in our schools for nearly 5 decades now, so we’re reaping what we’ve been sewing.
Agree with Linda; whether it is Christian morality or a need to return to shared values rather than “it’s all about me” thinking, we have lost our way morally and socially.
Thanks for the comments, Linda and Karen. Very intriguing — appreciate you sharing from the heart!
Right Linda! It is hard to say whether it is :
1.our culture’s increasing belief that morals are relative (what may be wrong for you may not be wrong for me)or,
2.the fact that we are casting off ancient principles found in the Bible and “doing what is right in our own eyes”,
our country has certainly turned a corner in the last decade and is headed into moral decline. You are wise.
It is actually a matter of the corporate world caring more about corporations, profits, dividends than the employees who work for them or the countries/cultures in which they operate. Why should the employees have ethics if there is no loyalty or ethics from the corporations for which they are employed? OSHA exists because corporations refused to take ethical/safety precautions for their employees. The FLSA, FMLA, ADA all exist because corporations refused to do the right thing.
It has nothing to do with Christianity or the Bible (our country was founded on religious FREEDOM – freedom to worship ANY religion or none at all). Ethics have a common purpose – however the corporate world’s purpose is to twist them to achieve dividends.
I agree with Linda and disagree in part with Camella. The corporate does care less about its employees than it used to. However, the reason the corporate world has become less ethical in that regard is the same reason its underling employees have become less ethical: all of society’s departure from Biblical principles.