HIGH SCHOOL CHEATING AND LYING: A NEW GENERATION OF UNETHICAL WORKERS?
Behaviors that were once taboo - lying, cheating and stealing - are gaining more acceptance among teenagers. At the same time, bribery and truancy (SEE SIDE STORY) are also reportedly on the rise in the American workplace - and will probably gain even more momentum in the next decade.

Studies that demonstrate these up ticks in unethical behavior have employers worrying about how much they can trust their current workforce. Even more alarming, employers say, is the lack of ethical behavior among so many of our youth.

"It is critical to educate and prepare the next generation to make ethical decisions - even during the most stressful, pressure-filled situations," said Jim Quigley, CEO of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, in a recent JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement) press release. "The business community has seen how ignoring ethical responsibilities can lead to devastating results. All of us in business owe it to the next generation to teach, model and support ethical standards every step of the way."

Designed to take the ethical pulse of teens aged 13 to 18, the "Teen Ethics Poll" by JA Worldwide polled 787 teenagers from Sept. 13 to Sept. 21, 2006.

The poll showed that more than two out of five teens feel either a lot or overwhelming pressure to succeed in school, no matter the costs. Teens admitted that in the last year they had: lied, 69 percent; downloaded a song without paying, 34 percent; and cheated on tests, 22 percent.

Eight in ten students who feel significant pressure to succeed, no matter what, also believe it's going to remain the same or get worse when they join the workforce. And more than a quarter of all teens said they are currently somewhat or not at all prepared to make ethical decisions.

The results raise a red flag.

"We have to take it seriously when students who are under so much stress tell us they think it's not going to get any better, especially if they don't feel prepared to make the right calls," said Ainar D. Aijala, Jr., vice chairman and deputy chief executive officer of Deloitte Consulting LLP and chairman of the board of JA Worldwide.

CORRUPTION

Other recent surveys paint an equally gloomy picture. Corruption is widespread, tainting business dealings around the world, according to the consulting company, Control Risks, and the law firm, Simmons and Simmons, in a report by the Institute for Global Ethics' Ethics Newsline. The survey of 350 businesses found that nearly half complained they had lost a deal because a competitor paid someone a bribe, the Reuters news agency reported.

About one in ten firms also said that paying bribes could account for half the cost of a project, reported the U.K.'s Guardian. Meanwhile, a third of its respondents predicted that the use of bribery to close deals would probably increase over the next ten years, according to the South African publication, Business Day.

CONSEQUENCES

The results of all these surveys on lying, cheating and bribery suggest a profound need for training in ethical decision-making in high schools and in the workplace.

One of the first steps in helping to curb unethical behavior, experts say, is communicating the consequences. And the younger someone learns about consequences, the better.

For a high school student caught cheating, consequences can include academic and disciplinary action. But in the real world, students and employees need to know that the penalties can be dire. If you cheat, you can get kicked out of college. If you lie, cheat or steal in the workplace, you can lose a job or even be prosecuted.

THE GOOD NEWS

The teens who were surveyed in "Teen Ethics Poll" also indicated there is hope for the future. In fact, the majority of students do not condone cheating, according to the report. And it's an ethical stance they feel strongly about. During a recent JA Worldwide conference for students, that included role-play exercises on ethical decision-making, several high school students asserted that cheating is cheating - and there are no legitimate excuses for it.

Although the pressure can be intense, Lee High School senior Britteny Johnson, 17, told The Advocate newspaper that she won't cheat and she won't help students who do.

"The biggest pressures can come when other students want to copy off a friend's tests or homework," Johnson said. "It puts you in a bad position, especially if it's a friend and you can't help them."

But giving in isn't worth it, she added. "Your friends might think you're not helping them, but really you are. Because cheating is not right."