A couple of weeks ago, L.A. and her colleagues at work
received an email letting them know that a division of their company was going
to be shut down and its function would be outsourced to an outside agency. The
email informed them that every effort would be made to find those who worked in
the division other positions at the company, but that it was likely that some
layoffs would result from the move.
The email didn't surprise L.A. For several months, there
had been signs that the company was in a bit of trouble. Employees choosing to
leave, promotions on hold, projects delayed, and other clear indications all
suggested the business was having trouble. The outsourcing in an effort to save
money was simply the latest indication that her company's best days were behind
it.
In the midst of the most recent news, L.A. has heard from
an old friend who had applied for a job at L.A.'s company. Even though the
company was laying off employees from some divisions, it continued to try to
keep enough of a staff to meet its obligations to customers. L.A.'s old friend
was hoping to fill one of the open slots.
Knowing that L.A. worked there, her friend emailed to ask
her if they could meet to talk about the company and what it was like to work
there. This request, writes L.A., puts her in a bit of a pickle. She likes her
job and the work she does, but she also feels like she should be honest with
her friend if she asks about the company's health.
"How much loyalty do you owe your employer if you
know a friend is looking there for a job and all signs at your place of
employment point to it going under?" writes L.A.
L.A. is right to be concerned. The evidence she's
witnessed suggests that her company is struggling and long-term job security
could be an issue, not just for her friend, but for her as well. On the other
hand, L.A. doesn't want to tell her friend anything based on office gossip.
If L.A.'s friend asks her about her job and whether she
likes the work she does, the right thing is to tell her she does indeed enjoy
both. She should freely describe what the work days are like, what it's like to
work with colleagues and customers, and what the positive and negative aspects
of her work life have entailed.
But when the friend asks about the company, the right
thing is to level with her and tell her what she knows to be true about recent
layoffs and any other concrete indications that the company could be going
through a bumpy phase. L.A. shouldn't violate any nondisclosure agreements she
may have signed, but she shouldn't hesitate to give her friend as full and as
accurate a picture of what she might be getting herself into.
It's up to L.A.'s friend to gather as much information
about the company as she contemplates working there. Armed with that
information, her friend can decide for herself whether to pursue the position.
Jeffrey L. Seglin, author of The Simple Art of Business Etiquette: How to Rise to the Top by Playing Nice, is a lecturer in public policy and director of the communications program at Harvard's Kennedy School. He is also the administrator of www.jeffreyseglin.com, a blog focused on ethical issues.
Do you have ethical questions that you need answered? Send them to rightthing@comcast.net.
Follow him on Twitter: @jseglin
(c) 2017 JEFFREY L. SEGLIN. DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.
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