One of the easiest ways to keep your job is to just do what you’re told. Follow your boss’ instructions, abide by the rules, and you'll likely have job security for a long time. But what should you do when your boss is the one encouraging you to bend the rules?
One worker recently posted a story on Reddit detailing how their boss tasked them with falsifying data to make their department appear more impressive. But instead of blindly agreeing, they decided to follow their moral compass. Below, you’ll find all of the details, as well as some of the replies amused readers shared.
Bosses are typically responsible for making sure that all of their workers follow the rules
Image credits: Oleg Ivanov / unsplash (not the actual photo)
So when this employee was asked by their boss to falsify reports, they immediately knew that would be a bad idea
Image credits: Getty Images / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Mushaboom Studio / unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: CerryDeangelies
Rules in the workplace are there for a reason
Image credits: Andrej Lišakov / unsplash (not the actual photo)
The vast majority of the time, following instructions in the workplace is crucial. Picomto notes that rules are often in place to ensure that the quality of our work is adequate. Issues can quickly snowball when employees aren't all on the same page about how to do their work, so it’s important that we follow guidelines closely.
In the same vein, safety can become a huge problem in many workplaces when rules aren’t followed. Even if a rule doesn’t make sense to you, it is in place for a reason. And there is rarely a reason to stray from a system that’s worked for years.
Productivity can be greatly impacted when rules aren’t followed as well. There’s a good chance that managers before you have perfected their methods, and you’ll just have to trust that they’ve found the most efficient way of getting the job done. That doesn’t mean you can’t ask questions or make suggestions, but it’s usually not a good idea to go rogue.
There are, however, sometimes special circumstances that might require you to bend your boss' rules. For example, ZipRecruiter says you don’t have to listen to your manager when they’re demanding that you do something unethical or illegal. You may be on the clock, but you can still let your moral compass guide you.
You can also hesitate on following your boss’ instructions if you need clarification on exactly what they want. It’s better to wait and ask questions than plow ahead and make a costly mistake.
You're not obligated to follow instructions if you're asked to do something unethical or illegal
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Or if you receive different instructions from another superior who is above your boss, you should probably fulfill their request instead. You can bring it up to your manager and address the fact that you’ve received conflicting instructions. But at the end of the day, it’s usually best to listen to whoever is highest in the chain of command.
If you do happen to find yourself in a situation where your boss has asked you to do something unethical, the Independent has a few suggestions for how to respond. First, they recommend asking clarifying questions to ensure that you understand exactly what your boss is asking of you. Don’t leave anything up to interpretation.
If you’re certain that they’re asking you to do something that you don’t feel comfortable with, you might want to complain to HR, a compliance officer or anyone else in your company who handles this type of issue. But first, consider whether or not they’ll actually want to hear this complaint.
Bryan Stikeleather, a professor at the University of South Carolina, warns that, “Any time the firm’s senior management is financially benefiting from the misconduct, they may not want to know that it is occurring,”
It’s also wise to consider the risks of exposing this information. It may blow back on your career or the entire company. You could be seen as a whistleblower or a snitch. Is that a risk you’re willing to take? If not, it might be time to simply move on and find a new job.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Do you think this employee made the right move by simply doing their job and waiting for karma to catch up to their boss? Then, if you’d like to read another Bored Panda article discussing revenge in the workplace, look no further than right here.
Later, the author joined in on the conversation in the comments
Many readers applauded the employee for their brilliant revenge
Some even had similar stories of their own to share
