Assignment task:
Does Home Life Matter at Work? Over the past month you and your colleagues have been reviewing applications for regional manager. The job involves overseeing and coordinating the operations of a large portion of the western Canada. On Friday afternoon, your committee finally makes its selection and plans to announce its choice on Monday morning. Out of a number of talented applicants, it selected John Deer. John's peers often used the words "brilliant" and "genius" to describe him. He held a consistent record of excellence in every task that he accomplished for the organization. A quiet, polite man, John rarely attended social functions and when he did, he never brought his wife. When you arrive at your office on Monday morning, you are surprised to get a call from John's wife, Edith, whom you've never met. Her voice sounds shaky and you can hardly hear her. She says: I'm sorry to be a bother, but I needed to talk to you. My husband John has been tense lately because he really wants the promotion. Anyway, last night John gave me a very bad beating. Our two children saw the whole thing and were terrified. I took the children and ran out of the house. We are now staying at the local shelter for battered women. Over the years, John has hit me on numerous occasions, but never like this. He's basically a good man, but he's very high strung. Anyway, the reason why I am calling is to beg you to give the job to John. Maybe then he'll feel happier and things will be better for our family. The phone call is so bizarre that you decide to check out Mrs. Deer's story. You call the shelter to find out if she is indeed there. The shelter director says that it is against their policy to give out the identity of her clients or any information on them. Then in the background you hear some confusion as Mrs. Deer grabs the phone from the director. Mrs. Deer tells the director to get on the other line and demands that she answer your questions. The director protests, but does as she is asked. She reports that Mrs. Deer and her two children, ages 2 and 6, were admitted to the shelter last night at midnight after being treated at City Hospital. Mrs. Deer had a broken rib and bruises on the face, arms, and neck that were apparently caused by a blunt object. It is now 10:30 a.m. The formal announcement is scheduled for noon. At this point, John may already know that he got the job. You are angry and disgusted, but you know that you will have to put your personal feelings aside and consider a number of issues before you make any decisions about John. Since Mrs. Deer has no plans to press charges against her husband, you put aside legal considerations and think about your ethical obligations in this situation. Q 4. As the manager, to whom do you have the greatest moral obligation in this case? Why?