The Unexpected Link Between Workplace Standards and Ethics

In today’s corporate world, businesses establish tolerance standards to foster safety and quality. These standards accept minor deviations from perfection—like a cereal box being an ounce short or a screw being slightly too long. However, a groundbreaking study from BYU's Marriott School of Business has uncovered a troubling twist: these so-called "margins of error" could be breeding unethical behavior outside the workplace!

Introducing the 'Tolerance Spillover Effect'

Researchers have coined this phenomenon as the "tolerance spillover effect." According to management professor Jeffrey Bednar, when individuals are conditioned to accept small mistakes at work, they may become more lenient in their moral decision-making across their lives. Bednar notes that this can lead individuals from various fields—ranging from scientists to healthcare workers—to justify unethical actions in other settings.

Why Some Professions Are at Greater Risk