1. What Behavioral Competency do you see being used by the HR professional in the scenario?
2. What action shows this?

The Pressures of Deadlines

A firm is expanding into another country. The general practice in the new country is to pay bribes to accelerate work activities, including obtaining workers and ensuring that immigration permits are in place for foreign workers. The firm has a tight deadline. Much of its success for the next two years depends on this location, the first phase of its international expansion plan. The chief human resources officer (CHRO) meets with the chief executive officer and chief financial officer. They must find some way to balance the risks of being delayed and not achieving their strategic goal, being noncompliant with laws regarding bribery, and being in conflict with the firms own values.

The CHRO identifies and communicates this ethical quandary and the potential reputation risk as well as the potential legal ramifications if the payment of bribes becomes public information. The CHRO recommends that, rather than using bribes, the firm add extra workers to help with the aggressive time lines and targets. The additional costs associated with this approach outweigh the potential risks and costs of being found guilty of engaging in bribery.