Although, the crew claims to have done the work without the trench box before the trench box rules use came in, allowing them to go inside the trench would be exceeding the limit. In case of any negative outcome their supervisor decision will not be judged by the past but by the current regulations. In this case he should not bow to the pressure that may emerge due to the county council member who is served by that sewer line. The good of the many should guide him. One person should not make him reach unethical decision. The fact that every year there are cases of people being buried alive due to the trench cave-in should signal the supervisor not to allow any crew to the trench without the trench box. He should not make a decision based on the fact that the soil in the area is cohesive.
Ethical grey areas
Jerry Stevens is confronted with deadline issues. He is reminded the residents expect the sewer to be fixed on that day but on the other hand the trench box will not arrive on time. The decision he will make will be somehow influenced by the desire to complete the work on time. The second factor that makes making ethical decision is his and the crew past experiences. He is very sure they can fix the sewer without the trench box. The type of the soil in the area does not show any sign of collapsing, but the regulation does not allow any crew to be below the ground without trench box.
The third thing that Jerry faces is absence of the regulatory body. He is aware the person responsible for the enforcement of the safety rules in the municipality is not watching what they are doing. So, they can fix the sewer without the trench box because no enforcement authority will find them going against the set laws and regulations. The City council member is also in a position to influence his decision making process. The member can cause trouble that can be a threat to his job and their organization future contracts.
The best thing to do
The best thing to do in this case is to find out what will benefit the many. The interest of one person should not be fulfilled at the expense the majority. In my own thinking, the crew should not be allowed to go to the trench without trench box. They should adhere to the set rules regarding excavating trenches. In the remaining hours Jerry should try to talk with the people served by the sewer and inform them about the impossibility of completing the work on time. He should let them know delay is not denial. He should inform them the challenges they have of getting the trench box on time. The absence of the director of safety and hazard should not make him reach unethical decision. What will yield the happiness to the many is what he is supposed to follow. He should also consult other senior employees in their place of work on what to do on such a scenario. He needs to know his decision will have a lasting impact to their institution.
Value of ethics and related programs
The value of having ethical programs in a workplace includes; employees are motivated as they work together. A positive attitude is inculcated in them by the knowledge that the organization they work for is concerned about them and other stakeholders’ welfare. Ethical and safety programs also enhance the corporate culture and public image of the company (Mill, 2017). The company stakeholders are proud when their organizations are known for being ethics ambassadors and cares for the business environment around them. These days the investors are able to access information relating to business practices of institutions easily. If the information has ethical issues they decline to invest in those organizations.
Ethics and related programs are not only for maintaining a good institution reputation but also it helps companies to escape litigations. If a company is caught with unethical business practices it wastes a lot of money in cases. This reduces the organization profit and in extreme cases companies go bankrupt. Therefore, ethics program are good for the survival of businesses.
The front line supervisors and workers have a role of ensuring the ethical programs in the place of work are incorporated in their day to day activities. The leaders should lead their teams in following the business ethics programs in place by examples. The leaders of corporates should be the face of ethics to the public. They should not deviate from ensuring codes of ethics are adhered to. In the time of dilemma like in this case the leaders need to be ethical so as to strengthen the ethics program. The ethical programs also need to be tied to the institution vision and mission. The leaders and workers need to know every ethics program should flow in their culture. It’s a responsibility of leaders and workers to be ethical even in difficult situations.
Ethical grey areas
Jerry Stevens is confronted with deadline issues. He is reminded the residents expect the sewer to be fixed on that day but on the other hand the trench box will not arrive on time. The decision he will make will be somehow influenced by the desire to complete the work on time. The second factor that makes making ethical decision is his and the crew past experiences. He is very sure they can fix the sewer without the trench box. The type of the soil in the area does not show any sign of collapsing, but the regulation does not allow any crew to be below the ground without trench box.
The third thing that Jerry faces is absence of the regulatory body. He is aware the person responsible for the enforcement of the safety rules in the municipality is not watching what they are doing. So, they can fix the sewer without the trench box because no enforcement authority will find them going against the set laws and regulations. The City council member is also in a position to influence his decision making process. The member can cause trouble that can be a threat to his job and their organization future contracts.
The best thing to do
The best thing to do in this case is to find out what will benefit the many. The interest of one person should not be fulfilled at the expense the majority. In my own thinking, the crew should not be allowed to go to the trench without trench box. They should adhere to the set rules regarding excavating trenches. In the remaining hours Jerry should try to talk with the people served by the sewer and inform them about the impossibility of completing the work on time. He should let them know delay is not denial. He should inform them the challenges they have of getting the trench box on time. The absence of the director of safety and hazard should not make him reach unethical decision. What will yield the happiness to the many is what he is supposed to follow. He should also consult other senior employees in their place of work on what to do on such a scenario. He needs to know his decision will have a lasting impact to their institution.
Value of ethics and related programs
The value of having ethical programs in a workplace includes; employees are motivated as they work together. A positive attitude is inculcated in them by the knowledge that the organization they work for is concerned about them and other stakeholders’ welfare. Ethical and safety programs also enhance the corporate culture and public image of the company (Mill, 2017). The company stakeholders are proud when their organizations are known for being ethics ambassadors and cares for the business environment around them. These days the investors are able to access information relating to business practices of institutions easily. If the information has ethical issues they decline to invest in those organizations.
Ethics and related programs are not only for maintaining a good institution reputation but also it helps companies to escape litigations. If a company is caught with unethical business practices it wastes a lot of money in cases. This reduces the organization profit and in extreme cases companies go bankrupt. Therefore, ethics program are good for the survival of businesses.
The front line supervisors and workers have a role of ensuring the ethical programs in the place of work are incorporated in their day to day activities. The leaders should lead their teams in following the business ethics programs in place by examples. The leaders of corporates should be the face of ethics to the public. They should not deviate from ensuring codes of ethics are adhered to. In the time of dilemma like in this case the leaders need to be ethical so as to strengthen the ethics program. The ethical programs also need to be tied to the institution vision and mission. The leaders and workers need to know every ethics program should flow in their culture. It’s a responsibility of leaders and workers to be ethical even in difficult situations.
