We were astonished by readers’ responses to our recent article, “Employees are Sick of Being Asked to Make Moral Compromises.” Many told us they finally had accurate language to describe an experience that felt painfully familiar. And more commonly, many asked for advice on what to do if they’d experienced a moral injury.
What to Do If Your Job Compromises Your Morals
Six strategies to help you move forward when your employer has injured your conscience.
April 29, 2022
Thomas Jackson/Getty Images
Summary.
Moral injury occurs across occupations and is a trauma response to witnessing or participating in workplace behaviors that contradict one’s moral beliefs in high-stakes situations. While the ultimate responsibility for preventing moral injury rests on organizational decision makers, individual employees are often forced to deal with the consequences on their own. The authors’ advice, prompted by readers’ responses to their recent article, is directed to those who must take care of themselves while their employers put them into situations of moral harm. If your conscience has been wounded, even by your own hand, they offer six ways for you to begin your process of restoration.