A survey discussed on the Sox First blog raises questions about the effect that Sarbanes-Oxley has had on employee morale, five years into its career. It seems that many employees aren't so sure about their bosses' integrity. Here's how they graded them on "organization efforts to encourage integrity":
A – 35 percent
B – 34 percent
C – 18 percent
D – 10 percent
F – 4 percent
So 3/10 employees gave a grade of C or worse. More disturbingly, at public companies, "22 percent said results are rewarded even at the expense of unethical practices." Ethical concerns seemed to be most common at smaller companies, which is interesting.
While there is considerable discussion about the "need" to roll back Sarbox, the continued concern about ethics on the part of employees makes me think we need more work done on compliance, not less.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
8-13-2007 @ 8:07PM
Donna said...
I was working for Someone Who was just flat out terrible! I couldn't trust Her as far as I could see Her. She was unethical and downright sneaky..."fixing" the books, and rotten things like that.
8-13-2007 @ 8:17PM
Donna said...
I was working for Someone Who was just flat out terrible! I couldn't trust Her as far as I could see Her. She was unethical and downright sneaky..."fixing" the books, and rotten things like that.
8-13-2007 @ 8:16PM
stedman said...
Try working for UPS.
8-13-2007 @ 8:33PM
Howard said...
Greed can mess up good people.
8-13-2007 @ 8:46PM
Rob said...
I worked for a "christian" family that harrassed me after I left and I had to hire a lawyer to get them to stop. Now I work for a two faced guy that is not "ethical" in any business sense of the word.
8-13-2007 @ 9:21PM
John Mullenix jr. said...
I have worked for Standard Motor Products, Inc. at the Disputanta distrubtion warehouse located in Virginia for eleven years.For the first seven years I put time in their I was a hard worker and rarely missed time from work even if I was sick.And I can say I was not by myself though.Most of the of employees were this way.I will admit we had some worthless fellow coworkers as well but the majorited hard workers with good intestions to do the best job they could for their selves and the company.
8-13-2007 @ 9:21PM
Linda said...
I worked for a lady who was cheating and treating the workers really bad. She had health insurance and displayed it openly but would only give it to her special people. I did not do anything wrong on my job but this woman would not evan speak to me when she walked by. She would wisper with other workers. They did this to other people too! I quit!
8-13-2007 @ 9:58PM
lwcubsfan71 said...
Countrywide Home Loans needs the most help. Their HR Dept is more interested in supporting it's bad managers and hunting down good employees who have made valid complaints against said managers than actually helping employees. I had a manager who was extremely discriminatory against women. When I said something to HR on two occasions, my 'reporting' was swept under the carpet. I then found myself FIRED for speaking the truth in an email to someone. Yes, Countrywide does actually spy on it's employees via phone, emails, in person, etc...It is definately NOT a happy place to work. Seemed to me that the majority of the time I was working there, people were more concerned with stabbing others in the back to protect their own bad performance than actually fixing staff/management problems. Believe it or not, my bad mgr proved himself to be a LIAR and was STILL promoted!!! Unreal! Well, I guess they're up to their eyeballs in BAD employees now! Many of us who were employed there and are no longer (for various reasons) are waiting to see their ultimate demise, even if it comes from bad business vs how awful they are to their employees...Am still waiting for the Labor Board to get in there...wish they would!
8-13-2007 @ 9:44PM
gus dell said...
I worked at a restaurant chain for 5 years which was owned by a family/corp. that had 30 restautants over 4 states. When I started all I wanted to do was go in and have a good time and make the customers happy. I wasn't power hungry or money hungry. Then they hired someone who told them everything they wanted to hear.I was screwed out of my place and sent on the road to solve everyone elses problems. They knew that the person that they got was unethical but the truth is that no one cares anymore, all that matters is the almighty dollar. In the end my 5 years meant nothing and I left before I ended up with ulcers. The good people get run over no matter what.
8-14-2007 @ 8:43PM
Napolitan said...
Do Not Work for Illinois Jiffy Lube.
8-13-2007 @ 9:53PM
angel said...
One poster said it all already: "no one really cares". So unless you own your own business or inherit it, we all are gonna be the pee-ons in life. So the best thing for us to do is do only what we feel we are paid.... that'll learn em.
8-29-2007 @ 10:42AM
Bobert said...
I work 4 some 1 who is very incompetent she is so stoopid i dont know how she got this far in life shes a pill poppin booser an shes a manager an a very bad 1 she makes up rules an then breaks em 2 suit herself she makes fun of cashiers becasue they are overweight does things against company policies even after the VBP of the company tells her not 2 do so she does anyways thiks she is better than e 1 else when all she is is a 56 yr old pillhead she takes more pills than walgreens has in there pharmacies. she very unethical untrustworthy an screws e 1 over we have lost a lotta good people because of her but the President an VP of the company seem 2 not only know but care i would grdae her n FF PLUS an her name is Joanne an my company is in NH an we deserve better than this but no 1 seems 2 care.
8-13-2007 @ 10:07PM
LU LU said...
I worked at the only cab co in my town. The boss was a kid that inheirted the whole thing!! and turned the tables and found excuses to rid the place of older workers, those who made theost money got the boot
8-13-2007 @ 10:16PM
jean said...
Worked for non-profit agency for seven and half years gave 150%.Than got new management that would lie to his own mother.Has been verbally abusive,underhanded,and never on the job.Has another employee he uses as a snitch,also lazy and underhanded.Got to point of nervous breakdown.Company would not listen.even others who witnessed wrong doings would not speak up,afraid to lose their jobs. I no longer have a job was on way to a stroke.Was brought up to be honest and can not work like this any longer.Has the whole world gone bad????
8-14-2007 @ 9:40AM
Marty said...
All you whiners and nay sayers shoulda joined a union
8-13-2007 @ 10:22PM
Ron Canada said...
I've worked for a large restaurant chain for many years now (21 years), as have most of my peers. We own 2 concepts and franchise a third. In all we operate over 530 restaurants in 16 states. Our president-Dan A. has the highest morales and expects no less from us. He has gone out of his way to help people and is the compass for our company. I see a lot of complaints, but it does start at the top.
8-13-2007 @ 10:22PM
re said...
whatever u do don't work for Lowe's......I am a very hard worker.....it is never appreciated......besides they even owe me money
8-13-2007 @ 10:37PM
n said...
Stay away from major dept. store that begins with a J
Treat employees horribly and the management is underhanded backstabbers. One in particular is a major brown noser - who knows how she got her position!!!
8-27-2007 @ 8:16AM
Linda said...
This doesnt schock me in the least. Why would I expect the bosses moral to be any different from the society's?
Calling all sexually liberated women 21 and up. www.emarital.com where you can meet like-minded adults who are ready to help you explore your sexuality - swinging, no strings attached - adults who want to play. Hurry and join while site is still FREE!!
8-13-2007 @ 10:56PM
priscilla said...
Think that's bad--try working for the people of Lori's Diner. They fire people left and right. All of their practises are about brown nosing and what you can do for them. They make sure to thin out 85% of their workers and give the shifts to favored employees. They promised me a promotion I never saw. They didn't care that I was being sexually harassed by another employee. Many of their long term employees used illicit drugs on duty. They constantly penny pinched and used poor food handling proceedures.