In a recent research study at Ohio State University, a
professor found that even honest people, left to their own devices, will steal
from their employers. In this study, the researchers gave financial services
workers the opportunity to steal a small amount of money after participating in
an after-work project for which the pay was inadequate.
Would the employees steal to make up for the underpayment?
In most cases, yes.
Employees who scored low on an honesty test stole whether or
not their office had an ethics program that said stealing from the company was
illegal. Employees who scored high on the honesty test also stole, but only if
their office did not have such an employee ethics program. The
“honest” people didn’t steal if there was an ethics policy.
Do you think findings like these can be generalized? In
other words, would they apply across the board to employees in other types of
companies and situations? If your answer is yes, what do you think this implies
about the need for and wisdom of having an ethics program? Provide reasons for
your response.
