Behavioral Competencies Flashcards
Cathy is the HR manager in her organization. She has just been told she must find a supplier for employee service awards. As it turns out, she is well acquainted with all the local companies offering such products. Cathy’s husband Connor owns one of them. Given that circumstance, what should Cathy do about placing an order?
• Since Cathy knows she can get a good deal from her husband Connor’s company, she should select it as the vendor.
• The professional HR code that deals with conflicts of interest would prevent Cathy from selecting her husband’s company because it could appear as favoritism for personal gain, whether this is the case or not.
• If Cathy treats her husband’s company as an equal in consideration of vendors, there should be no problem.
• Cathy should seek vendors outside the local area just to avoid any contamination of her ultimate selection.
The Professional HR Code That Deals With Conflict Of Interest Would Prevent Cathy From Selecting Her Husband’s Company Because It Could Appear As Favoritism For Personal Gain, Whether This Is The Case Or Not
Darlene has been recently promoted to senior HR representative. In the first week in her new position, one of her internal clients comes to her with a request to approve an expense voucher. When she reads the voucher, she sees it will be a payment to a foreign government agency to help facilitate her company’s sale of a product to their country. What ethical issues, if any, should Darlene recognize?
• There are no ethical issues. It is a legitimate government payment like any permit application process in this country.
• There is an ethical issue. HR should support every sales effort regardless of where it is taking place around the globe. Yet Darlene is right to be concerned.
She has approval authority only up to a certain amount. In this case, she will
“fudge” the limit and sign off anyway to start the process of building trust with this new client.
• There are no ethical issues. There is nothing in this transaction that would raise any questions about ethics.
• There is an ethical issue. It looks like Darlene will be giving a bribe to someone in the foreign government. That is both illegal and unethical.
There Is An Ethical Issue. It Looks Like Darlene Will Be Giving A Bribe To Someone In The Foreign Government. That Is Both Illegal And Unethical
Just as you reach your desk, the phone rings. On the other end of the line is an employee saying one of the company’s executives sexually assaulted her. After a
3-month-long investigation, you have gathered volumes of testimony from the employee’s co-workers. Try as you might, there were no witnesses to be found who saw the alleged assault. Of course, the executive has denied all charges. He did not even contend a consensual encounter was behind the current complaint.
He just says, “Nothing happened.”
During the complaint investigation you discover this accused executive is the key contact for your company with a major international customer. What will you do at the conclusion of the investigation, if the employee’s version of events has more credibility than the executive’s in this complaint? There are no witnesses to the assault, but co-worker statements support the employee’s credibility.
The company sees itself as an ethical organization, and it rewards managers for ethical behavior on occasion.
• The key contact status is a major mitigation of the sexual harassment charges.
The company cannot afford to lose the customer’s business. It would be appropriate to support retention of the executive in the current job until some other person is able to take over as key contact with that customer.
• Immediate suspension is appropriate in this circumstance. There is no ethical barrier to taking that action.
• Ethics are not an issue in this type of situation. The best business decision is to keep the executive in his job and reassign the complaining employee to some other work group.
• Postponing any discipline or corrective action with the executive because of his key contact status with a key customer is wrong. It amounts to treating the executive differently from the way other management people have been treated in similar circumstances. Inconsistency in treatment is unethical. You decide to recommend appropriate discipline based on the evidence you have and comparable other cases. It does not matter how much pressure you are getting to do otherwise.
Postponing Any Discipline Or Corrective Action With The Executive Because Of His Key Contact Status With A Key Customer Is Wrong. It Amounts To Treating The Executive Differently From The Way Other Management People Have Been Treated In Similar Circumstances. Inconsistency In Treatment Is Unethical. You Decide To Recommend Appropriate Discipline Based On The Evidence You Have And Comparable Other Cases. It Does Not Matter How Much Pressure You Are Getting To Do Otherwise.
Jose has always been a good employee. He arrives at work promptly and works hard throughout his shift, as is his custom. His manager gives him top marks for his attitude and performance. The manager says, “If I had more like Jose, we would never have to worry about production.”
Then one day, Jose gets a call and must rush home for a family emergency. Later, about quitting time, he remembers he did not clock out. He calls his friend Guillermo and asked him to punch out for him. Guillermo says, “Sure, no problem.” A few days later, Jose’s manager is reviewing the timecards and finds Jose’s timecard overstates his actual work hours for that week. Jose did not work the afternoon, but his timecard says he did. Is this a termination offense? Are there any ethical issues for you as the HR director?
• There are ethical issues if what has happened involves a cover-up at any level.
Jose’s lack of intention to deceive by having a friend clock him out at the end of the day may be a mitigating factor to the company policy. Endorsing the cover-up by giving Jose a “pass” on his behavior would be unethical. Falsifying timecards is still a serious issue.
• Falsifying timecards is a disciplinary issue, not an ethical issue.
• HR should not be involved in this situation. It is up to Jose’s manager to dole out whatever discipline is appropriate.
• What is the big deal? Jose is a good performer. Cut him some slack. Keep him happy since we want to keep him. Everyone has a family emergency at some point.
There Are Ethical Issues If What Has Happened Involves A Cover-Up At Any Level. Jose’s Lack of Intention To Deceive By Having A Friend Clock Him Out At The End Of The Day May Be A Mitigating Factor To The Company Policy. Endorsing The Cover-Up By Giving Jose A “Pass” On His Behavior Would Be Unethical. Falsifying Timecards Is Still A Serious Issue.
