Influenced as we are by the protestant work ethic I think that most people assume that employees have a responsibility to do their absolute best work, and to work their hardest, at their job. This is a mistaken impression. Employees do have an ethical obligation to do their jobs, but not necessarily to do their best work, or to work their hardest. The reason for this is twofold. One, obvious, consideration is that employees have an obligation to themselves as well, and that the stress of working as hard as they can might be bad for them. But this reason is rather weak, because different people are affected by stress differently, and perhaps the ethical obligations to one’s job are stronger. The stronger reason is based on the idea that employment is effectively a contract. Ethically both sides must uphold their end of the contract, but neither side is required to do more. Thus, unless you are specifically employed to work to your limits, you are only ethically obligated to do what you are specifically employed to. If you can do that while having plenty of free time feel free to take a nap, guilt free. Now I am not saying that everyone should slack off either, you do have an ethical obligation to do the job you are paid for, but no one has a responsibility to live up to expectations that they didn’t sign up for, and aren’t paid explicitly for (you might have to if you want to keep your job though, but that is a different story). Valencia Parker......
Posted on: Sat, 29 Jun 2013 05:09:23 +0000
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