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It's not easy to maintain a balance between one's personal and professional lives. In reading the Case of the Holiday at the German advertising firm located in the United States, this becomes more evident than ever since their customers' deadlines are the most important parameter by which employees are evaluated.
Of course, we all have to earn a living and sometimes, at the beginning of our careers, working 50 hours a week isn't uncommon. What does seem rather strange is the employee turnover that is rather high and which, in turn, suggests burnout. This is clearly not good for employees but what makes matter worse is the fact that the firm's demands of their employees puts them in an ethical dilemma. In the case discussed, there are at least three ethical dilemmas that Borries finds himself in.
Apart from Borries’ himself, his manager and girlfriend also face ethical dilemmas as a result of the demands that the client has placed on Borries’. First of all, his manager finds himself in a position where he might have to service the client since Borries’ will be on leave or lose the client due to the fact that Borries’ will not be present at the time. Borries’ girlfriend, on the other hand, has to explain to her parents as to why they had to cancel the trip to Hong Kong. Obviously, this will not please them and which would result in insisting that Borries’ makes the trip. Conflict in her closest relationships is likely if she decides to take either course of action. Probably the most important dilemma that Borries is faced with is the choice to not meet his girlfriend's parents in Hong Kong but stay back to meet an important launch that a client has set a tight deadline for. In fact, this deadline, being at the very same time that Borries wishes to go on holiday to meet his girlfriend's parents, causes him to put his personal life aside and focus on his professional life instead. From an ethical standpoint, Kant's Categorical Imperative states that using a person as a means to an end is not right, and which is why the decision that Borries is coerced into by the client is wrong even if it his choice to remain at work later. One can also surmise that in not deciding to go, he is treating his girlfriend and her parents with less dignity than is expected. From a Utilitarian standpoint, his decision to not go on the trip to Hong Kong has repercussions that will affect his fellow employees who will now be expected to miss holidays so that they can stay on top of their work commitments. In stark contrast, ethical egoism would suggest that Borries' decision to stay would be the right one since he would please the client, and further his employment prospects at the expense of his girlfriend and her parents. Not very differently, and from a Duties perspective, Borries will have been doing the right thing even though it is his right to go on holiday with his girlfriend (Rachels, 2003).
When it comes to the individual and situational factors that led to Borries’ choice, it is clear that his decision to meet his girlfriend’s parent lends insight into how these factors led him to make this choice of staying back. Given that this firm is located in the United States, where from a cultural standpoint, people work hard while not being as attached to their families as those in European or Asian countries, it was not surprising that this wouldn’t be much of an issue with Americans who, of most people, would understand the value of being hardworking. Apart from this, among the situational factors, it’s clear that organizational culture caused Borries’ to make the decision he did. In other words, since the organization has a tough work ethic, it was inevitable for him to take such a choice since the consequences of reward or punishment was pretty clear to him.
Since this experience is rather common to a number of people, one can empathize with Borries' if not comprehend both the client and firm's position as well. Having accepted employment at this firm, it is clear that Borries' would have been aware of the rigor that is involved with such a position. He would have been just as aware of the expectations' of his clients as well since they require their account managers to be available during product launches. This is rather unfortunate since being in such a position causes him to disappoint either his girlfriend's parents or the firm that he works at. It isn't a simple decision for him to make either since there's every risk of either offending his client or worse still, his girlfriend's parents as well. What results from this choice is how his fellow employees at the firm react to such a choice since they will also have to forego their holidays if the need arises for their presence.
In closing, to be made to pick between one’s personal and professional life can be rather difficult but since meeting with his girlfriend’s parents is the first of many, it would a casual affair. While this assumption does not excuse Borries’ behavior, it’s clear that he has no choice but to stay back and carry out his duty as an employee of the firm whose conditions he had accepted when joining the firm. While the pressures of working 50 hours a week is definitely a lot, the remuneration for such a high-pressure position would be substantially high. One can’t help but surmise that Borries’ could probably have made a practical choice in the situation since it could have affected his financial and employment opportunities. In any case, and given the high employee turnover rate, it wouldn’t be long before Borries’ would be free to visit her parents on a holiday in the future.
References
Rachels, J. (2003). Elements of Moral Philosophy (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
