By Kristen Carter
Contributor, Career Services
A recent ethics scandal plastered the news regarding a congressman being investigated for unlawful use of taxpayers’ dollars and accepting lavish gifts from donors. As citizens, we seem to no longer bat an eye to this kind of behavior in government; this corruption has become seemingly commonplace or even expected. But, many professionals accept gifts without any negative associations or repercussions. Thus, it raises the question: should you accept gifts from prospective or current clients? While you may never face the decision whether to accept hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of gifts, there exists a gray area when it comes to determining which gifts are acceptable and which are not.
Certain companies firmly oppose accepting gifts from clients and even list it as a policy within their employee handbook, making the decision quite easy for you. However, when no formal guideline is in place, what should you do?
Some would argue that it happens all of the time in the business world. But does that make it right or ethical? Does it matter the denomination or the type of gift received? If so, where do you draw the line? Is it okay when dealing with a diverse client who may be offended should you not accept the gift?
With so many factors at play, maintaining ethical standards in a professional field can be complicated. Nonetheless, here are three key points to remember:
- Don’t compromise your ethics or your job for a gift.
- Consult other professionals you trust.
- If it does not feel right, you should go with your gut.
Consider this scenario: Suppose you had two equal, potential clients that you are negotiating with for the same deal, and you receive gifts from one client and not the other. Will this cloud your decision in any way? It may or may not, depending the size of the gift. Yet, it is important that it does not impair your judgment or violate any professional standards. In this instance, you would want to consider the timing of the gift since it could be interpreted as a bribe since no final contract has been signed.
What about this one? You take a weekday afternoon to golf with a prospective client and they pick up the tab. Is it just business, since the client is also participating in the activity? Or was it a gift? You will need to consider that, if it is a gift, there may be additional strings attached from your attendance at this outing.
Keep in mind, your choices will define you and could follow you throughout your career. So, think carefully about your decisions and act professionally when operating in the gray area.
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