Ethical Issues for Friends in the Workplace

Refer to your company's policies and procedures regarding workplace friendships.

It is normal to form a bond with a coworker; after all, you spend much of the day together. In a report for “USA Today,” Stephanie Armour states that friends in the workplace are seven times more likely to focus on the job, and are often more satisfied with their positions. Personal relationships, however, can also compromise working relationships and overall employee morale.

Cronyism

More than mere favoritism, friendships at work can cause cronyism. Cronyism refers to instances when friends or a clique offer and grant favors to one another, according to an article by Judy Nadler and Miriam Schulman for Santa Clara University. This ethical issue can create inequalities in the workplace and undermine the common good. For example, when a coworker favors his friend to work on a project because of their relationship instead of experience or credentials, the quality of work accomplished by the friend may be inferior. The practice of cronyism can undercut company or department transparency, and can cause issues in regards to organizational development. Moreover, cronyism and favoritism -- even just the appearance of the act -- can weaken morale in a workplace.

Alienation

Workplace friendships between managers, particularly in small businesses, can make employees feel left out of decision-making processes. In an article in “The Independent,” Helena Jaworski-Lang reports that the relationship between friends can disrupt workplace dynamics and create a clique. She explains that coworkers may perceive the individuals in a friendship as strong unit that creates a social and professional imbalance.

Conflicting Roles

Ethical issues also arise when a supervisor befriends a subordinate. This relationship can cause feelings of jealously and unfairness in the workplace. When friends have conflicting roles, the individual in the supervisory position may find it difficult to discipline her friend, or make an ethical decision regarding a disciplinary action. To address this issue, a company may require a supervisor to step down from her position of power, or place the subordinate under the supervision of another individual.

Trust

Many friendships are based on trust. Incidentally, this can cause an ethical conflict when an employee discloses information his coworker friend should report. The disclosing individual trusts his friend at work to keep the secret, but the company trusts its employees to report certain information. This can force an employee to choose between his friendship and his job.

References

• "USA Today"; Friendship at Work: A Good or Bad Partnership?; Stephanie Armour; August 2007
• "The Independent"; Danger: Friends at Work; Helena Jaworski-Lang; August 1999
• CNN; Friends at Work: Good, Bad and Ugly; CareerBuilder.com; August 2006
• Santa Clara University; Favoritism, Cronyism and Nepotism; Judy Nadler and Miriam Schulman; June 2006