Ethical decisions in the workplace
Employees who feel secure should challenge unethical employers on behalf of their colleagues
The reputation of a prospective employer is often critical for deciding whether to apply for a job – especially if it’s the sort of place that doesn’t advertise salary ranges. Partly this is because we don’t want to work somewhere that will treat us badly. But our beliefs, ethics and morals also determine where we’d be happy working.
Not everyone has the luxury of finding an employer whose ethical stances entirely align with their own. An employer might even publicly appear to take a strong stance on an issue, only for reality in the workplace to be very different. Take Wellcome’s admission that it remains institutionally racist despite committing to becoming an anti-racist organisation two years ago. Its official report shows failings on multiple fronts, from leadership not prioritising the anti-racism programme to examples of direct discrimination based on race.