Home » Business & Finance » Workplace Issues » Workplace Honesty: It's the Only Policy

Workplace Honesty: It's the Only Policy

© Ronald J. Rakowski, SPHR, CELS

Immediately upon showing up for work as a mid-level human resources manager at a new company, I was told that everyone in the company flew coach on domestic flights unless the only seats available were in first class. I understood the rationale behind such a policy and had no problem conforming to the rule. One of my fellow department managers, however, wasn't so accepting.

After we became better acquainted, he confided over a post-dinner libation that he flew first class on most longer flights and just put on his expense report that the coach section was full so he was "forced" to upgrade his flight status to first class. "No one ever checks," he boasted. Being relatively new to the company, as well as being relatively honest, I told him I didn't think his company air travel modus operandi was particularly admirable and that I'd continue to travel in the "cheap" seats. He just scoffed and accused me of being a "real sucker."

A couple of months after that conversation, the company's human resources director, our boss, and I were leaving a meeting in Chicago when he received a call from the company's Denver division telling him that they were encountering serious labor difficulties and asked us to detour to Denver for a couple of days and help them out before returning to our Connecticut offices. So off we went!

After helping solve the labor problems, my boss and I rushed to the Denver airport to catch our flight to New York and were able to board the airplane shortly before it was scheduled to lift off. As we struggled with our carryon bags heading back to the nearly empty coach section, who should we pass sitting very comfortably in the first class section enjoying a "complimentary" pre-flight drink? You're right! My fellow department manager.

Although I tried to remind my boss that he was "preaching to the choir," I had to sit through almost four hours of lecturing on how important it is to conform to the company's policies, including its travel policies. I had traveled with our boss a number of times but had never seen him touch a drop of alchohol on any of those flights. He had more than a couple that night.

I don't know what transpired the next day between my boss and my fellow manager, but the manager resigned a couple of days later. His dishonesty cost him his job!

The copyright of the article Workplace Honesty: It's the Only Policy in Workplace Issues is owned by Ronald J. Rakowski, SPHR, CELS. Permission to republish Workplace Honesty: It's the Only Policy in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.