This memo addresses recent events involving a former employee and accusations of breach of code of ethics resulting in her termination. Heather Smith worked at Lord Berkeley corp for six months before her termination over the aforesaid breach of code. The facts of this case were that the employee took a couple of product samples from the store. The reason that the employee gave was that she took them to her elderly clientele, who ended up buying a big jar. The employee’s job description was in sales, and company records showed that she exceeded weekly and monthly sales goals when she was with the company.
The company’s breach of a code of ethics ruins trust between the employee and the employer (Chen, Gotti, Kang, & Wolf, 2018). Relevant considerations need to be made before recommendations about the next course of action. The employee’s awareness of the code of ethics can be considered. The training program took two days, enough for some employees to remember company policy. The supervisor was well within her jurisdiction to terminate the employee, but the reasons may not be compelling enough to warrant such harsh measures. The company policy and its effects on employee morale may need to be re-evaluated, as job security should not be a fear of company employees.
Since her inception into the workforce, the employee in question has been a model employee. The sales have been high, and this breach of code could have been unintentional and intended to benefit the company. Our company mission statement is our commitment to building a family of the world’s best fashion brands offering captivating customer experiences that drive long-term loyalty and sustained growth for our shareholders. The employee delivered our products personally to her elderly relatives and provided a captivating customer experience. Therefore, we may have to re-evaluate our policies to be less stringent, which can probably aid in employee retention.
Reference
Chen, C., Gotti, G., Kang, T., & Wolfe, M. C. (2018). Corporate codes of ethics, national culture, and earnings discretion: International evidence. Journal of Business Ethics, 151(1), 141-163.