The 2009 National Business Ethics Survey - Ethics Resource Center

Start with management, especially if your organization is taking recession counter-measures.The NBES results show that these tactics can help get a company through a crisis, yetthey erode employee perceptions of the ethics of their workplace. The 2009 data support previousNBES findings that managers are very influential in employee conduct and reporting.Focus on management in areas most affected by corporate efforts to address the recession.Prepare for the return to business as usual. The survey data suggest that ethics awarenessimproves in a crisis and that laxness returns when the crisis is past. Help executives preparefor the return in culture and employee conduct when business performance improves.In all, NBES research continues to show that ethics matters in business. The 2009 study was conductedduring an extraordinary time, and it is a period that we hope will not be repeated soon. However, it isthe challenge before us all to ensure that the good news we received about workplace ethics this yearis anything but extraordinary.44©2009 Ethics Resource Center