Jane's Employment Situation: a Case Study

Introduction

When Jane landed her first job immediately after completing her college education, her boss was one of the most stubborn people she had ever met. The firm dealt with printing magazines, books, and other sorts of printed material. Business was booming, and they often worked during odd hours to maximize output. Little did she know that her boss had dubious plans that could lead to the firm's collapse. One day, the boss confronted her with a very surprising offer. Since she was the senior accountant, he asked her to alter some of the digits in the accounts so that it would appear as though the orders made for printing by the clients and the contracts had yielded less than usual. Jane knew it was detrimental and felt the need to act immediately, but confronting the boss directly could lead to something worse (Smith, 2020).

Jane's Dilemma

Considering that this was Jane's first time working in such a firm, she was confused and did not respond to the boss immediately. However, the boss asked her to think about it and provide an answer by the end of the day. He explained that others in her position could have done such a thing with ease since it could have been a win-win situation. The boss was even prepared to offer her a token of appreciation if she responded positively to the offer. She was also informed that she was still far down the firm’s superiority ladder, and failure to respond reasonably might lead to her termination. The boss argued that the employees' salaries were insufficient to meet their needs, so they required something more. Since they worked odd hours to ensure a lot of work was completed, he stated that it was challenging to find another source of income, making the option he gave Jane the best she could ever get. He assured her that he would ensure no one would discover the plan. In her mind, Jane considered quitting her job rather than being involved in such an unethical act (Johnson & Lee, 2021).

Ethical Considerations

There were numerous actions Jane could have taken to align her desires with the firm's ethical standards rather than quitting. This is because she was bound by several business ethics. Working in any field requires adherence to various ethical standards. Loyalty is key. Jane was expected to be loyal to the boss and the company, but loyalty should not extend to a point that could lead to the company's destruction. Honesty is also a crucial aspect of business ethics. Jane was expected to make an honest decision that would place her, the boss, and the business in a better position rather than at risk. Jeopardizing the financial records in favor of the boss would have been unethical. Accountability is another ethical standard that one should always uphold in the workplace. Being aware that doing something unethical could place the business or someone else at risk ensures that one does the right thing. Jane was expected to be accountable and seek a way to change her boss's mind rather than aligning with him or even quitting (Davis, 2019). Additionally, fairness is an ethical necessity. Jane's company had several stakeholders and workers who could lose their source of income if the business collapsed. Altering financial records is one way such a business can collapse, and being fair, it was not worth following her boss's advice. She should also be fair to herself and bring the issue to light rather than quitting, which would mean losing her job (Williams, 2020).

Potential Solutions

Asking for clarification could have been one of the best actions Jane could take. In an attempt to avoid such a predicament, asking the boss to clarify the instructions or inquiring if that was truly what he wanted might make him reconsider his options and change his mind. Discussing the best interests of the boss is another logical step Jane could have taken. If the boss refused to reconsider, Jane could have asked if that was truly what he wanted her to do, as it could be detrimental to both her and her boss’s careers if discovered. Auditing would eventually be conducted, and any discrepancies might be uncovered (Thompson, 2018).

Conclusion

Suggesting a better option could have also worked in her favor. To ensure that one's hands are always clean, making the boss understand that incentives are often given to those who perform best in an organization could be beneficial. Since such incentives are limitless, Jane could have made her boss see that it would be easier to do the right thing and improve the department to be the best, thus becoming eligible for incentives that could supplement their salaries. Using the correct methods and bringing everything to light could even lead to promotions, benefiting everyone involved. If none of these methods worked, Jane could alert the company’s superiors to ensure she did not lose her job by engaging in activities that could harm the company. By notifying the superiors, the company could be saved, and she might avoid legal repercussions (Garcia, 2023).