The selected dilemma concerns two employees, one of which plans to quit the job while the other has been denied a new job opportunity as it is supposed to be for the first employee. The remaining party could tell the boss about his colleague’s intentions to secure the opportunity, although it means breaching that employee’s privacy. On the other hand, the leaving colleague might have a change of heart and remain with the original company, so revealing the plans to the boss will affect his opportunities. The available options for the employee who has been denied the opportunity are to either directly tell the boss that the other party is leaving or wait until the colleague reveals his plans himself, meaning that they are solidified. However, the latter has many potential outcomes, such as the colleague deciding not to leave due to the offered opportunity or delaying his decision as far as the last moment.
I would select the second option as it seems morally justified. The first one threatens the colleague’s privacy and job position, so taking advantage of him for one’s benefit seems wrong and could lead to legal consequences (Dau-Schmidt et al., 2016). However, the chosen path can affect my position the most because the other employee may choose to remain with the company and accept the opportunity. Furthermore, the boss might not offer it immediately, causing a situation when the colleague’s solidified decision will come before the opportunity’s reveal. In that case, it is not guaranteed that the original employee will automatically receive it. Regardless, I believe the decision will stand the test of time as my conscience will be clear by not undermining the colleague and appear opportunistic. If I work diligently during the waiting period and have a great record, I might get noticed and considered for the opportunity again.
Reference
Dau-Schmidt, K. G., Finkin, M., & Covington, R. (2016). Legal protection for the individual employee (5th ed.). West Academic.