Professional Workplace Dilemma Paper

Professional Workplace Dilemma has to do with the ethical issues that often occur in workplace posing a situation of dilemma as it regards values conflict. As such, there are many benefits that accompany ethics if applied in the workplace according to Fernando (2009, p.16). In the light of this, my experience can be traced back before I began my major course of study at the University of Phoenix. In line with this, the experience occurred when I was then working in a local company near my home place. I was actually in the accounting department under the supervision of Hannah. In connection to this point, there was also Billy who came occasionally to do some auditing. In this context, Hannah used to do some mistakes that amounted to fraudulent results.  

As such, the financial status of the company ended up being overestimated while this was not the truth. Owing to this factor, Hannah used to insert figures of monies that she had used for her personal effects and severally she would instruct me to do accounting estimates that were not real. She explained to me that she had taken some money from the company and the only way she would escape would be by providing false estimates. I was not in a position to confront her owing to the position she held though I knew this was wrong. In the midst of this all, Billy carried out some auditing that resulted to a report that led to a fraud case. Since I operated under Hannah, I was called in and just before the case was tabulated she warned me of not disclosing any related information.

Following this point, the ethical issue experienced was whether it was good for me to report Hannah and lose my job too or to deny that which I knew right from my heart and die out of guilty. I placed more value on integrity and in this case there was a conflict of values in that I was torn in between upholding integrity and losing my job. Which was the best thing to do? I also stood chance of being executed since I never reported the case while I was aware. At the same time, I had interacted with Hannah for a good amount of time and on the other hand Billy was a stranger. These forces brought me to a point of an ethical dilemma. There was a difference in power and authority whereby Hannah was higher than me and on other hand; Billy had a higher authority than Hannah.  Personal values were in conflict within me when I was on one side supposed to tell the truth I well knew to preserve my integrity and on the other hand, there was a chance for me to tell a lie to please Hannah and maintain my position at work.

In this context, the potential outcomes were that telling a lie would make me guilty and on the other hand, I would maintain my position at work. In the same line of thought, telling a lie and then finally being noticed would result to a severe execution. As well, telling the truth would lead to being executed for covering as well as participating in what I knew that was wrong. Along with this, I would also lose my job and thus either case had potential consequences.

At this time, being aware of the potential consequences to me and Hannah, I decided to tell a lie in order to save myself. In fact, I said that I was not aware of anything of the sort Just as Hannah had confessed. Investigations were then carried and evidence was found of the documents I worked on along with a note that instructed me to carry out the plan. Subsequently, I was also called to court but finally was released on bond after telling the truth that all what I did was out of fear of Hannah who was charged for using and luring a minor in such a fraudulent case. Billy was on the other hand credited for good work done in spite of some offer that Hannah had promised to give him if he withdrew the case. Instead he declined the offer and upheld his integrity and work ethics.

Based on what I have learned since I began my program of study at the University of Phoenix and through my continuing work experience, I would have handled the situation in a different way. As such, I would have on the basis of business ethics refused to engage myself in the making of the counterfeit calculations. At the same time, once caught, I would have revealed the truth in spite of the outcome. As such, I have come to realize that ethics at work which involves doing the right thing and being fair as well as upholding high levels of integrity and honesty in business deals, it is of high value. At the same time, business ethics increases productivity and encourages strong team network prerequisite for growth (Fernando, 2009, p.16).