Going Beyond the Training Classroom in Ethical Standards

I have been told that, at some point, everyone will have to face issues involving ethical decisions. You might not know when it is going to happen or what the situation will involve, but it will happen. I found out at one of my jobs that this is true and it can sometimes take you by complete surprise and shock you with how severe these situations might be. I had never considered arming myself or strategizing for how I would handle the situation.

At one of my previous jobs, there was a zero tolerance drug policy. Such is the case for many businesses, especially those in which there is a higher risk for injuring others or yourself. This was a job in which we handled various forms of equipment, dealt with customers and had the responsibility of caring for animals.  I think that anti-drug policies are important for every business; and because others relied upon our responsibility, I felt that a zero-tolerance drug policy was crucial to maintain a safe environment in this job.

At one point, and by complete surprise, I was faced with a dilemma involving fellow employees and drug use. It was after work and we were standing around waiting for rides, and discussing our weekend plans. I noticed two employees began to talk about using drugs over the weekend and were winking at some employees who were not personally involved but knew that they used drugs. I could not help but laugh nervously. This type of thing was a complete shock to me. I had never heard people talk about drugs at work. I was inexperienced and had not considered how I would handle the subject if it did come up. It was then I realized that orientations can present all of the theories in the world on how to behave when you have this knowledge, but they do not prepare you for how you will actually feel when it happens.

I liked these employees. They were hard-working, diligent, and seemed completely responsible prior to this incident. I did not want to see them lose their jobs. On the other hand, I was not comfortable working around employees who did use drugs. I felt that it endangered the animals and other people’s safety. I also knew that if a customer were ever aware of this, it could be damaging to the business’s reputation. I also was overwhelmed with a feeling of fear of retaliation from the employees if I said anything. I was shocked at how many knew and said nothing. They seemed to not think it was an issue. At the time I remained silent.

With more education and classes while pursuing my business degree, I realized the importance of being a whistle- blower and I realize there are ways to go about it to produce even better results. I see now that, in that situation, something definitely needs to be said and it needs to be brought to management. After reflecting, I realize that it could have been handled by telling the person I would inform management and suggest rehab, suspension and monitoring after treatment as one solution. This is a win/win. By just simply getting the person fired, it does not save the employee. By not saying anything, it is dangerous and damaging to the business and everyone associated with it. By convincing management of monitored treatment, it saves a previously valuable employee and solves the initial problem. I feel that developing a plan for how you will handle situations like this says something about your character and the type of person you are. I now have a developed plan that will define the type of positive and responsible person I want to be. With my new found insights, I have a plan for maintaining my integrity. I feel that it might be beneficial to express this in training and not only say what the employees should do, but how the way you handle situations defines the person you are and the values you find important.

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