“We’re like a family.” This phrase repeatedly appears on company websites, and many companies strive for this kind of culture. There are many good reasons to foster a family feeling at work. Employees report having greater satisfaction with their job when they have close friendships at work. Research suggests that closeness with others at work has psychological benefits, including creating a sense of belonging and long healthy friendships.
However, there is a flip side to this and many of the scams that happen within organizations go unreported due to what we call the “Arjuna Syndrome”. Yes, the deep emotional connects we have with our friends and colleagues can put us in an ethical dilemma when confronted with wrongdoings happening just under our nose from people we work with in close quarters. So what do we mean by “Arjuna Syndrome”. The inability to stand up for justice, ethics and fairness when confronting our colleagues and friends at work involved in some wrongdoing that may not be ethically and morally right. Sometimes that act need not be classified criminal but the effects of that act could cause damage to the company’s brand image and customer loyalty.
It could range from simple misdoings like not being transparent about the sale / service costs in the process of meeting targets for getting a Purchase order or capturing the Service request. Or one that has financial implications like taking Bribes and under invoicing.
Many research surveys show that employees who are well knit as a family do not want to expose the wrongdoings for the simple reason of showing compassion towards their co-workers / friends. This is exactly the same sense of despair that Arjuna faces during Mahabharata war where Lord Krishna gives us through Arjuna the universal gems of wisdom in the form of Bhagavad Gita. The core objective of Bhagavad Gita was to remove Arjuna’s inhibitions and doubts and ask him to take the side of Dharma or righteousness. Irrespective of the people involved / associated with Adharma (unrighteousness) it asks us, through Arjuna to stand up for what is Ethically and morally right and show greater Emotional Intelligence in dealing with situations. It emphasizes the need to step up and take the right decision for the overall good of mankind not brooding too much about the consequences it might have for our Kith and Kin.
Same principles must be applied and we should be careful to get rid of the “Arjuna Syndrome” in order keep our conscience and ensure larger good happens and we stick the ethical code of conduct put in place by the industry /organization. At least we can keep our sense of satisfaction of having delivered our duties with utmost integrity irrespective of the odds faced. Yes, losing a relationship might hurt but that needs to weighed in with larger good and long term effects.
