Younger people shoulder more ethical dilemmas at work

Younger workers are more susceptible to experiencing ethical dilemmas on the job, according to a new study from the Ethics Resource Center.

“Generational Differences in Workplace Ethics,” delves into trends among four specific generational groups- Millennials, Generation X (Gen X’ers), Boomers, and Traditionalists. According to the study, certain age groups are more “at risk” than others when it comes to the four key measures of ethical performance- pressure to compromise standards, misconduct, reporting, and retaliation. For instance, the report reveals that the younger the worker, the more likely they are to feel pressure, observe misconduct, and experience retaliation for reporting.

Major findings from the survey include the fact that almost half of Millennials (49%) observed workplace misconduct and that the youngest workers (29%) were significantly more likely to experience retaliation than Gen X’ers (21%) and Baby Boomers (18%).

“It is important for companies to realize that each generation perceives ethics and culture differently from the others,” said ERC’s president, Dr. Patricia J. Harned. “However, business leaders should know they do not have to completely redesign their ethics and compliance programs. Implementing an effective ethics and compliance program and building a strong ethics culture will continue to make a difference for all employees. The key is communicating their commitment to ethics differently for different generations.”