Courses of Action for Unethical Behavior
Unethical behavior can be costly and complicated for a business to solve. A study from the Journal of Business Ethics found significant challenges in addressing ethical issues at the individual level. As a cashier, I have noticed some unethical behavior in my assistant manager, and I have chosen to talk to her about the subject as well as to research the risks involved.
First, I would meet the assistant manager in private to discuss the matter with her. Experts say that you suspect that someone is acting unethically, the first thing to do would be to talk to the person. Tactfully, I would explain to her that, while she may be improving customer service, minimizing delays, and vme to do my work, taking customer cash without entering sales is a violation of the company’s conduct. I would let her know that; there is no possibility that one can know what was ordered later on by just adding the cash and as it would result in shortages due to register records not matching the cash amount.
Second, I would research the issue to assess the magnitude of risks emanating from the behavior. It is crucial to determine if the assistant manager is breaking the company’s policy by checking the organization’s employee manual to determine if the unethical behavior is mentioned. While not all activities may be covered in the handbook, I might be able to find a clause that can help illustrate the assistant manager’s conduct. During thw, I would document what the assistant manager did such that, if the department is ever audited, my documentation will come in handy and keep me from getting into trouble with the manager