When Ethics Clash: Understanding Moral Injury In Non-Medical Settings

In the world of non-medical professions, ethical dilemmas are far from uncommon. Whether you're working on complex projects, managing programs, or simply striving to excel in your chosen field, you may find yourself confronted with situations where ethics clash with professional demands. This clash can lead to a phenomenon known as moral injury, which has profound effects on mental health, job performance, and even one's commitment to their profession. But given that moral injury is more associated with the so-called “noble professions”, these issues aren’t dealt with, and it’s having disastrous effects on the economy and business.

Moral injury, often associated with military personnel and healthcare workers, is a term gaining recognition outside these specific domains.

It refers to the psychological distress resulting from actions, or the witnessing of actions, that violate one's moral or ethical code. In non-medical professions, it can manifest when individuals are pushed into ethically challenging situations due to workplace culture, pressure, or the demands of their roles.

And this can have a severe impact on mental health. When ethical boundaries are repeatedly crossed, individuals may experience guilt, shame, and a sense of betrayal. Over time, these emotions can contribute to anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Since I’ve begun professional coaching, I’m realising this is at epidemic proportions. Below are some case studies where the names and situations have been anonymised and generalised - but I think many of us can personally relate, or have experienced similar situations ourselves.

The Whistleblower Dilemma:

*Paulette, a dedicated project manager at a prestigious engineering firm uncovered evidence of fraudulent practices within her team. She faced a difficult choice: report the wrongdoing and risk her career or remain silent and compromise her own ethics. Eventually, she chose to blow the whistle, leading to a toxic work environment, isolation from colleagues, and persistent feelings of guilt and anxiety.*

Moral injury can significantly impair one's ability to perform their job effectively. The internal conflict and distress can lead to decreased focus, productivity, and motivation. This deterioration in job performance can create a vicious cycle, as individuals may face criticism and further undermining of their self-esteem. Awareness of other toxic practices in their organisation may lead to a sense of futility. In other words; they begin to find everything they’re doing pointless and unachievable. Consider:

The Impossible Job

*John, a dedicated programme manager, found himself in a situation where he was pressured to meet unrealistic project deadlines. Despite his reservations about the quality of the work, lack of specialist team, and ambiguous targets - he pushed the work and his team through. When the project inevitably failed, he was blamed, leading to a loss of confidence and a damaging effect on his future projects and reputation.*

Moral injury in non-medical settings can also drive individuals to question their commitment to their professions. Just like medical professionals, project managers, directors and the like are professionals that have dedicated countless hours of study and work outside the required working hours to reach a standard of competence. Persistent internal conflict and external pressures can contribute to silent burnout and a desire to leave their current lines of work.

From an ethical standpoint, pushing through projects that you know are destined to fail interferes with the code of practice that members of professional bodies adhere to. Like many project and programme professionals, we constantly challenge ourselves to make the project work - but sometimes it’s simply not doable. And being forced to fit a square peg into a round hole can lead to a breakdown in confidence, or at worst, trigger a mental health crisis.

Silent Burnout Breakdown

*Lisa, an experienced marketing manager often faced pressure to manipulate data to present a rosier picture of the programme. She eventually resigned, citing her inability to reconcile her professional values with the demands of her role. The experience left her questioning her career choice.*

Aside from the damaging effects on mental health, job performance, and the expectation of long-term career satisfaction, it also has a significant impact on the economy, and can lead to premature death.

In 2015, the International Labour Organisation estimated that over 2.3 million men and women have died from work related burnout.

Recognizing the signs of moral injury, promoting ethical workplace cultures, and providing support to those affected are crucial steps in addressing this growing concern. Toxic workplaces are not an option - the impact of ethical clashes on all professionals, within or outside the medical field is devastating. We need to work together for a healthier and more ethically sound workplace for all.