Moral code takes backseat to groupthink in the workplace

New research has found that workplace culture is likely to override an individual’s moral code when deciding whether to report unethical behaviour.

The study from the University of Michigan found that the ethics of supervisors and co-workers significantly impacted on an individual’s likelihood to report unethical conduct.

“Our findings contradict conventional wisdom that the personal characteristics of an employee drive his or her decision to speak up,” says David Mayer, assistant professor of management and organizations at the University of Michigan. “We are social animals and we pay attention to what others do—especially when engaging in a risky behavior like whistle-blowing at work.”