When I arrived at work this morning, the entrance to the mall via the metro was closed due to some construction. I had to use the main building entrance. At 5:30 AM, you have to “badge-in” to the building. In other words, you can’t get in without using your electronic badge. I did this and entered the lobby, where the security guard who checks badges sits.
He was sound asleep.
I’m not kidding. He had a little TV on and he was out cold. He never even saw me come into the lobby or get on the elevator. So the ethical dilemma: do I report this?
I went to my workout and thought about it. And when I returned to the office, I reluctantly did report it. My reasoning was that if I didn’t report it and the security of the building was violated by someone who might do harm, I would feel equally responsible as the guard who fell asleep at his post. I say “reluctantly” because I really didn’t want to get anyone in trouble. We have all been in situations where we weren’t paying attention to what we should be doing. And who knows what this guards circumstances might be that caused him to fall asleep; maybe he’s working multiple jobs? Still, I live an area that is very security conscious, work for a company that is very security conscious, and this is just a sign of the times, I suppose.
This is one of those cases, however, where although I did the right thing, I don’t feel good about it. I feel guilty.
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