Good Example Of Ethical Dilemma Essay

A couple of years ago, I worked for Regal Contractors – a middle sized construction and renovation business organization. I was working under an employment contract which comprehensively spelt out the dos and don’ts that defined my job. Among these provisions was a requirement that I should dedicate my effort and skills solely to the best interest of my employer. To this end, I was only supposed to direct potential clients to the business organization, where they could be served accordingly. A time came when I got too many clients for my employer to handle.
I shared this information with Mr. Phil Jones, a friend of mine who had established a small company in the same line as Regal Contractors. Being relatively small, his firm did not have a wide client base. As such, he suggested that I divert some of the potential clients to his firm, for which I would receive a commission. This got my mind racing because by diverting the clients to Jones’ firm, I would gain financially from the commissions. Secondly, I would help Jones’ company grow and this would better our friendship. On the other hand, this would be a breach of contract because my employment contract warned against this. This would also amount in breach of trust between my employer and me. Eventually, I ended up diverting some clients to Jones’ firm.
Ethically speaking, was my action right? If you were the one going about the dilemma, how differently would you have handled the situation? Would it make any difference if I later told my employer about my action, and perhaps explained why I did so? Does the fact that Regal Contractors already had enough clients justify my actions?