Ethical Issue

[VincenzoG91]

Is he a real friend, or just a work buddy? Real friends are people that I want to hang out with when I'm not at work. Work buddies are people that I hang out with at work to keep things from getting too boring, but I wouldn't otherwise spend time with them away from the office.

For a real friend, I would help out any way I can. For a work buddy, I would stay clear of the situation and hope for the best, but not risk my job.

Two years ago at my current job, I advised the CEO against heavily manipulating our April numbers by moving some of the May revenue into April. He was expecting a quick rebound in sales in May while I was expecting the usual start to our slow season. (I was right.) He got surprisingly offended by my advice and told me to leave work immediately. I couldn't tell if I was actually fired, so I showed up for work the next morning as usual and kept working on closing out April. The CEO didn't show up for work at all that day, and none of my work buddies did anything to support me, they all dove for cover. The next day, the CEO forgave me, and then decided to follow my advice while making it seem like his idea. Three months later, he got recruited away and we got a new CEO. The new CEO is very happy with the quality of my work.

[eonbar]

Friends over job any day!? Glad we don't work together and none of you guys are my friends is all I'm saying :|

[sookie6]

Friends over job any day!? Glad we don't work together and none of you guys are my friends is all I'm saying :|

grow up a bit will you.

[sexyme4u]

good intention in good confrontation doesnt result into bad thing. If you two are true friends in anyways she'll understand it.

____

[vashti]

It would help if we knew what the "mildly unethical" thing was that your friend did. I mean, for me, "mildly unethical" would be taking home a company pen.

[misombra]

why is the boss telling you? he should be talking to your friend. like a real boss.

[eonbar]

^^^ i agree. your boss is kinda unprofessional

grow up a bit will you.

errr ... what?


from this thread people seem to be more committed to their job then their friends? this isn't a standard co-worker we're talking about here (i believe?) so i have no idea what your comment is supposed to mean?

p.s. immaturity rules

[sookie6]

what it means:

your job pays the bill not your friend so anything threatening your job is a liability...this does not make you any less of a friend.

one needs to take responsibility for ther actions and pays the consequences...you have notdone anything wrong but getting involved could put yur future in danger...coming back to my first post : taking care of number one: you...because I can tell you something if the day comes you've lost your job not many of your friends will lend you even a counch to sleep on...some may but maybe not this one...

[Bo]

If it's a CLOSE friend, someone you see in your life in the years to come OUTSIDE of work as well....tell but if not don't. It's none of your business, you're friend is actually putting you in a bad position for screwing up in the first place, now you're facing this dilemma. So don't feel bad because someone else screwed up. And if they are going to fire him then that's what's gonna happen, nothing is going to change the outcome of the consequences either way

[Mish]

Well, I suppose he is closer to work buddy than close friend, don't see him outside of work. But he's a good guy who helped out a few times. The mildly unethical thing he did, he ran a high download on his account way over the limit. Don't know exactly what it was he downloaded, but it was quite a few gigabytes in less than an hour so it can't be good.

[vashti]

I am not tech-saavy enough to know whatthe significance of that is.... does it cost the company money? Or just waste time? Or does it affect anyone's ability to work?

[Mish]

It costs the company money and possibly reputation (if what he's downloading is porn or illegal movies - i don't know if it is either though, it could be legit, but likely not)

[vashti]

If he's an otherwise good employee, I consider downloading porn to be a mild offense, and I would tell him they are on to it, and he should stop. But I suspect they will tell him, anyway.

My sister tells me she has to counsel a lot of her employees about this.

[IndiReloaded]

Mish, the offense is minor so let your workplace deal with it. What is your motive for telling him in advance? Let him get his reprimand (justified b/c those are the rules he agreed to) and then go out for beer and commiserate. Don't stick your oar in. It will only serve to complicate what is a relatively minor and straightforward situation.

Your management sucks for letting you know about this, btw.

[Sonrisa]

so the friend has administrative rights to download?