I have been writing about companies that are at risk of bankruptcy. But the issue is of bankruptcy involves more than just money.

During these times, many companies are battling for their survival. For some companies, ethical values are considered a luxury that is too expensive.

These are signs the company you are working with may have lost its professional ethics:

• We all have heard the mantra, “Our most valuable asset is our people.” But when business is slow, what is the first item to be jettisoned? People.
• Some companies will hide defects at final inspections. I once saw a contractor lay the contract drawings on top of a chip in a countertop, so no one would see the defect.
• The company prides itself on how it pressures its subcontractors to work 10-12 hour days, six to seven days a week, to meet its schedule. The cost of worker exhaustion is safety. In these cases, subcontractor fatalities and injuries are often covered up.
• In good times, companies talk of “partnering” and “cooperation.” In these times, companies “talk” and subcontractors “listen.” Period.
• Instead of correcting problems, the contractor lets attorneys argue them out. I knew a local contractor who had a floor failure. The client was understanding and offered to send its staff on vacation for an entire month while the contractor completed the repairs. Yet the contractor did not want to spend money correcting the problem and instead put it in the hands of attorneys.
• Companies today are trying to squeeze every dollar out of every project. For some companies, this means pressuring subcontractors and suppliers to decrease their bid amounts. This practice results in lower quality to the client.

I would like to say that we are not tempted, but we are. In these times, we spend more time reviewing our corporate values: Safety, Cooperation, Integrity, Quality and Accountability. For us, our corporate values are not just for good times. Our values are who we are.