Workplace Ethics
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Hello, I am currently a student in the George Washington University Museum Studies program.
Some experiences I have had lately have led me to wonder what a collections professional should do when they see a colleague or superior using unsafe methods of handling objects or using incorrect practices. How do you find the middle ground between speaking up and not coming across as pretentious or as always being critical of others? Where is the middle ground between preserving professional relationships and the risk of compromising your ethics?
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Hello Keila,
Thank you for contacting the Connecting to Collections Online Community with your inquiry on professional ethics and best practices.
In response to your inquiry, I have a few questions and a possible strategy for you. Can you tell me if your employer advertises as adhering to the AIC Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice? or any other standards? If so, is he or she acting in opposition to the Ethics and Guidelines? If your employer doesn’t present him or herself as adhering to AIC Ethics and Guidelines, then is he or she bound to do so?
You might ask why things are done the way they are; being new it is reasonable to ask your superior to explain practices and methods in your workplace. Your employer may have reasons–prior experience, published works–validating his or her practices. When treatment plans are being established, ask to be present during that process. This would be much less distracting than asking during the treatment.
Please do respond if you would like to follow up. In the end, if you
are not satisfied with the answers you get from your employer, you will probably have to make a decision whether or not the practices your employer engages in compromises your personal beliefs and the integrity of your work.Kindly,
Tammy Zavinski -
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As Tammy said, ask questions. You don’t need to challenge. There could very well be a good reason. I don’t know what you’re seeing, but we frequently have to engage in “non-textbook” handling for reasons like artifact weight, texture, and lender/donor desires. Sometimes there are equally valid ways other than what we originally learned. And, if you’re right that it is a problematic practice, you can explain the standard you’re aware of and ask about working with it instead of current practice. Sometimes it’s just ignorance of an evolution in the field, it happens when we’re all so busy!
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