Ethics of Changing Jobs: A Case Study on Loyalty vs. Self-Interest

Introduction: The Ethical Dilemma

Mark Williams graduated from college with a degree in business five years ago and found it rather difficult to secure employment. The need to find a position was immediate and pressing: unless he did so, Mark would have to return to his home village, as his family had no means to support him in the city. As his worries mounted, he received a telephone call from UPB Consulting inviting him for an interview. He got the job and felt that his employer was his savior. Mark dedicated his full attention and commitment to proving his worth and excelling at his role — which he did. He became fully integrated within the organizational culture, made close friends with his colleagues, and became a reliable employee in the eyes of management.

Last year, the first problems began to emerge within the organization. UPB Consulting was owned by two associates who held different, and at times conflicting, views on how business operations should be managed. One owner focused on creating a pleasant working environment that offered development opportunities for staff, frequently granting salary raises, bonuses, and incentives to stimulate employee performance. The second owner considered the first to be wasteful with the company's hard-earned money and sought to implement more restrictive policies regarding employee treatment. Because the owners' views were so opposed, the conflict could only be resolved by the withdrawal of one party. The first owner left, and his departure dissatisfied virtually all employees in the firm.

Throughout the year and a half that followed this organizational change, Mark Williams witnessed numerous situations that dissatisfied him. Despite his sustained efforts, his salary remained unchanged and he received no bonuses; he was not sent to any training programs; he was not offered an expected promotion; and approximately 30% of his colleagues switched employers. Advised by those close to him, Mark sent out some résumés and received a job offer. The ethical question centers on whether he should change employers. He feels guilty about leaving the organization that believed in him when no one else would, and he would miss his colleagues. On the other hand, he is extremely dissatisfied and feels he can no longer perform effectively in the current environment. The core ethical tension is this: should Mark follow his own interests and disappoint his "savior," or should he stand by the organization and remain unhappy?

Literature Review on Job-Change Ethics

The first step in addressing this ethical question is to conduct research into how the specialized literature approaches the issue. The ethics literature is often broad and covers a wide range of problems without offering specific solutions, typically advising only that one should choose what is right. In terms of the ethics of changing jobs, Dean Geuras and Charles Garofalo identify the main source of ethical problems as the possibility that switching employers could involve conflicts of interest. A real-world example occurred in 2004 when a former Pentagon official resigned and moved to the Boeing Corporation. She was accused of ethical violations due to her acceptance of a position that conflicted with the interests of her previous employer (Geuras & Garofalo, 2005).

The conflict of interest in Mark Williams's case lies in the fact that his first employer invested in forming him as a professional, and when he leaves, that investment — in the form of his developed skills and knowledge — will effectively transfer to another company. Several additional questions of ethical relevance should also be considered:

Analysis of Potential Solutions

In this situation, only two solutions are available: remaining with the current employer, or changing jobs. Each option carries significant implications for Mark as well as for the broader group of stakeholders — colleagues, clients, and management. The key implications of each course of action are outlined below.

Effects of remaining with UPB Consulting:

Effects of changing jobs:

Conclusion and Reflections

Mark Williams graduated from business college and found a job at UPB Consulting at a time when no one else would hire him. Due to internal reorganization, the company that had supported his professional formation became an environment no longer suited to Williams or many of his colleagues. Mark was subsequently offered a new job that would provide greater financial and non-financial benefits. The ethical question is whether he should accept it and thereby generate negative consequences for the company that believed in him when no one else did.

Both available alternatives carry meaningful implications. Leaving the company creates feelings of guilt but opens doors for career development. Remaining with UPB reflects loyalty but is accompanied by ongoing frustration. The most ethical decision is to remain within UPB, despite the personal disadvantages this creates for Mark Williams. The broader insight this case surfaces is significant: the most ethical decision — the right decision — is not always in the best interest of the individual making it.

References

Brown, C. (2001). Ethical theories compared. Trinity University. Retrieved June 26, 2009, from

Geuras, D., & Garofalo, C. (2005). Practical ethics in public administration (2nd ed.). Management Concepts.

Todd, H. C. (2009). Speaking of ethics: Changing jobs. Washington Lawyer. The District of Columbia Bar. Retrieved June 26, 2009, from