Lapses in Integrity—Why They Matter
The Importance of Addressing Integrity Breaches
Integrity is a crucial life value, but what does acting with integrity mean? While many people believe everyone knows right from wrong, the reality is more complex. People often disagree on what constitutes right and wrong. That's why integrity and business ethics are constantly debated, from news headlines to casual office conversations.
Common sense, often considered a driver of integrity, is not as universal as you might hope. What seems evident to you might be a gray area for someone else. Reaching an ethical consensus can be a challenge.
As a result, acting with integrity in business doesn't come naturally to everyone. Building a solid foundation of integrity often requires actively teaching and reinforcing ethical practices in everyday work. People need real-life examples of integrity in action.
And, as our world becomes increasingly complex, finding the correct answer that satisfies most stakeholders—employees, customers, potential employees, shareholders, and board members—often requires a balanced approach.
When you operate globally, people in other countries may have different ideas about what is essential for integrity and ethical practices. Countries have varying ethical and social norms, making navigating these complexities with integrity even more crucial.
Integrity Challenges at Work
People walk a tightrope when it comes to ethical choices in the workplace. While running a quick personal errand during a break might seem harmless, what about using company resources for an individual project or filing fudged expense reports? The line between harmless and harmful can be blurry.
Do people consider whether their choices are ethical? An individual might think, I work hard, so spending an hour on personal business online is okay. Or, I'm underpaid, so it's OK if I fill in my time card to get a bit of overtime pay. They may not consider these choices wrong, as they can justify why they do what they do.
Think about these scenarios that happen in organizations every day. These scenarios demonstrate a range of integrity levels, from minor ethical breaches to serious misconduct, each of which can impact the trust and functionality within an organization.
Consider these ten challenges to integrity.
An employee surfs the web to shop for personal items during company time.
A plant manager decides to ship a product to a customer even though they know the parts have a quality problem because the problem doesn't affect the part function, and the customer probably won't notice.
A manager shares personal information an employee confided with other employees. They rationalize that the other employees will be more sympathetic to the employee’s problems.
An individual spends several hours a week on their iPhone talking with their children, associated caregivers, schools, and friends.
A salesman marks parts as sold in the company database, thus depriving others of the ability to sell the parts, even though their sale is uncertain.
A manager shares essential company information with a competitor for potential gain.
A store manager misrepresents the quality or functionality of an advertised sale item.
An employee uses the last of a toilet paper roll in a bathroom cubicle and leaves without replacing it for the next person.
An employee takes office supplies home to stock their home office.
A finance officer accounts questionably for purchases and expenditures.
Every business encounters these situations and similar ones. You need to make sure your business standards are clear.
Integrity Challenges in Life
Breaches of integrity can also occur in your personal life, affecting relationships, trust, and your personal growth. Here are ten examples of how integrity can be compromised outside of a professional setting. You may not have considered them in terms of demonstrating integrity, but integrity is inherent in each one.
When you get home from the grocery store, you discover you haven’t been charged for a steak. You decide to keep it because the store won’t notice anyway.
You engage in a secret, online relationship with someone, not your spouse or partner.
You promised to help a friend by watering their houseplants while they were on vacation. You skip watering by rationalizing that the plants will be fine if you miss them just once.
You realize the cashier has given you an incorrect amount of change in your favor when you purchase an item, and you decide no one will ever know and keep it.
You wake up late for work and call in, telling your manager that your baby is sick and you need the rest of the morning off to deal with the situation.
A friend shares confidential information with you, and you break their trust by gossiping about it with others.
You work in a hybrid workplace, where the expectation is that you will work 40 hours from anywhere. You find other things to do several days a week, thus shortening the time you spend on work for your employer.
A part of your lunch spills on a lunchroom table. Rather than wiping it up so the next person has a clean lunch space, you decide the janitor will get it in their nightly cleaning.
You tell a friend you can’t come over for dinner because you have plans for the evening when you don’t want to go.
You commit to completing a project but find twenty reasons to justify not following through.
So, before you relegate the subject of integrity to the touchy-feely, head-in-the-clouds worlds of philosophy, religion, or academia, consider the potential positive impact on your organization of addressing integrity as a personal and business essential.
Conclusion About Integrity
While often viewed as a lofty ideal, integrity is deeply practical and essential in both professional and personal realms. It influences trust, reputation, relationships, and overall functionality in your life and organization.
By acknowledging the complexities of ethical behavior and actively promoting a culture of integrity, organizations can navigate challenges more effectively. This will ensure long-term success and a positive work environment.