How do diverse individuals experience ethical dilemmas in the workplace in the context of human security? An interpretive research with employees from two firms in Brazil

The modern concept of human security refers to the protection of individuals and communities from daily threats to their dignity. At the same time, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) establishes that everyone has the right to just and favourable conditions of work but fails to determine what does this mean in practice for the employees. Taking into account current reports about unhappiness at work, this research hypothesised that many threats to employees’ dignity might have come from unfavourable, perhaps toxic, workplace conditions. Using interpretive research methodology and examining employees from two firms in Brazil, this research paper found that it is common for individuals to experience ethical dilemmas in their workplaces, particularly when the organization does not protect them or prioritises profits and other performance indicators over well-being of employees. The lack of institutional protection may contribute to the persistence of misbehaviour that threatens the employee dignity, hence jeopardizing human security. Another important finding is that different individuals can experience ethical dilemmas differently, through diverse feelings, rationalizations and practices. While the results are not meant to be generalized, from here one could infer that in order to increase human security, improving the conditions at work, according to the employees themselves, could be one alternative. Additionally, extending the social safety net and granting a decent income for unemployed people would make them less vulnerable to toxic workplaces.