2009 National Business Ethics Survey from Ethics Resource Center

Ethics Resource Center has released “The 2009 National Business Ethics Survey (NBES),” which is the sixth in a series of reports that started in 1994 and have examined organizational ethics from the employee perspective.  The 2009 survey focuses on the unusual economic events of the past two years and their impact of ethics in the American workplace. Total 2,852 employees in the for-profit sector were participated in this survey by telephone interview. 

According to the report, most key measures improved.

-       Misconduct at work is down from 56% in 2007 to 49% in 2009. Fewer employees answered they had witnessed misconduct on the job.

-       Whistleblowing is up from 58% in 2007 to 63% in 2009. More employees replied they had reported misconduct when they observed it.

-       Ethical cultures are stronger. Based on ERC’s measures of the strength of ethical culture in the workplace, 9% increased from 2007. 

-       Overall, perceived pressure to commit an ethics violation declined from 10% in 2007 to 8% in 2009.

However, retaliation against those who reported misconduct increased. 15% of whistleblowers perceive they were retaliated against as a result.

49% of employees witnessed some type of misconduct occurring in the workplace, such as company resource abuse, abusive behavior, lying to employees, email or internet abuse, conflicts of interest, discrimination, etc.

Reporting Sources in 2009

4% Other

4% External source

15% Other responsible person

3% Hotline

75% Management

            46% Direct Supervisor

            29% Higher Management

Specific Forms of Retaliation Experienced as a Result of Reported Misconduct (2009)

60% Other employees gave you a cold shoulder

62% Your supervisor or management excluded you from decisions and work actively

55% You were verbally abused by your supervisor or someone else in management

48% You almost lost your job

42% You were verbally abused by other employees

43% You were not given promotions or raises

27% You were relocated or reassigned

20% Any other form of retaliation

18% You were demoted

4% You experienced physical harm to your person or property

You can download the survey report from the ERC website. 

 

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