Would you leave a job that compromises your values?

[Ladyofthepond]

By all accounts I have a job that serves me well. The pay is ok, not amazing but enough to live on, however as I manage my own schedule I have a great work life balance, and know the industry well as have worked in it for coming up a decade; I can do the job with my eyes closed.

However, I am being crushed by the fact the job goes entirely against my morals, as it's working for large alcohol drinks manufacturer...and I am a recovering alcoholic.

The role doesn't at all trigger me to drink, and there is no pressure to actually consume the products. However, I feel like an utter fraud talking about and being involved in products that caused such devastation to me.

I know that it is a choice to consume alcohol and that most industries have their own moral ambiguities, but my job feels so juxtaposed to my life and my morals I am struggling daily to get by. As an added complication I have ADHD so I find motivation difficult at the best of times!

However, on the other hand I don't know what on earth I would do if I left, and also I feel like I'm unlikely to find a role that gives me the work/life balance that I currently have!

Has anyone managed to work a role that goes against their values? Did you manage to suck it up and continue? Or do I need an exit plan ASAP?

I couldn't do it and in your position would leave as soon as I found something else.

I've chatted about this sort of thing in the past with friends as there are certain people I wouldn't even go on a first date with if I knew they worked at some places that I am fundamentally opposed to. I just couldn't live with myself if I ended up marrying them and raising kids on, say, money partly earned from the blood of child soldiers as a major employer in my locality can be directly linked to. Most people don't seem bothered at all and think I'm being ridiculous and just see the lovely lifestyle they can afford working for them and don't think about the corruption. I went through a period of unemployment at the very same time they were having a huge recruitment drive and still couldn't bring myself to work for them (the massive recruitment drive coinciding with the outbreak of the Russia/Ukraine conflict I might add). I have ADHD too and it can cause very black and white thinking.

Ultimately, you've got to do what sits right with your conscience, I think. Otherwise life is a bit demoralising. But I think most people can easily compartmentalise and just see a job as a means to an end.

Surely u knew this when I applied 10 years ago?

I would find something else. I've turned down jobs on reflection when I realised the values just wouldn't match up with mine.

It may not be triggering you to drink but it is going to be limiting the pride and satisfaction you can feel, surely.

I too would leave.

There are plenty of organisations I couldn't work for on ethical grounds.

I'd be planning to get out. If you can recover from alcoholism, you can do anything, so I'm sure you'll find a new job reasonably quickly.

I have left jobs when I realised they didn’t sit well within my values eg mergers and new ways of working not right for me, private sector roles that didn’t value individuals.

It’s important for me to work alongside my values for others maybe not so.

I totally understand your position and concerns. And I admire your ability to overcome your addiction.

And I'm probably going to be in a massive minority here!

I'm (very) left wing. Working in capitalistic society goes against everything I believe. So I'd be unemployed.

If you like the job etc., then don't jump for "ethics". Yes, alcohol can destroy lives. But we make choices too - you've proven that. There's little ethical in any role, and that includes many that are supposed to be vocations or ethical.

A job is a means to an end for me (roof over my kids heads and food on the table).
In your position I personally wouldn't give up a job with a great work/life balance for all the tea in China.
You are (I assume) not funneling alcohol down people's throats, they have a choice to consume it.

I presume the drinks manufacturer makes a variety of drinks not just aimed at getting people addicted to alcohol?

There as a tobacco company just wants people addicted to their product which has no other use but to destroy health.

I've worked in industry sectors where lots of people wouldn't be happy working in mainly cos I'm nosey but have never worked in the tobacco sector.