Integrity & professionalism

You find a £20 note on the office floor near the shared printer with no indication of whose it is. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AKeep it since no one will know
• BHand it in to reception or your manager and let colleagues know it has been found✓
• CLeave it where it is
• DUse it to buy coffees for the team

Answer: Handing in found money and notifying others is the honest action and gives the owner a chance to reclaim it.

Your manager asks you to report that a task is complete when you know it is only about 80% done, so the figures look better to senior leadership. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AReport it as complete since your manager instructed you to
• BReport it as complete but keep a private note in case it comes up
• CDecline to misreport it and explain the actual status, offering a realistic completion date✓
• DRefuse and report your manager to senior leadership immediately

Answer: Refusing to falsify a report while constructively providing accurate information upholds integrity without unnecessary escalation.

You made a mistake in a piece of work that has already been sent to a client. The error is significant but might not be noticed for a while. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AWait to see if anyone notices before acting
• BFix it quietly in the next version and say nothing
• CPromptly inform the relevant people, explain the error, and put forward a plan to correct it✓
• DBlame a system glitch if anyone asks

Answer: Owning the mistake promptly and proposing a fix limits the damage and demonstrates accountability and integrity.

A close colleague and friend confides that they have been claiming expenses for personal items as work costs. They ask you to keep it between you. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AKeep their secret to protect the friendship
• BEncourage them to stop and correct it, and if they will not, follow your organisation's policy on reporting it✓
• CJoin in since everyone seems to do it
• DIgnore it as it is not your responsibility

Answer: Encouraging them to put it right first, then following policy if they refuse, balances loyalty with your duty to act on dishonesty.

You are asked to sign off a document confirming a safety check was carried out, but you were not present and cannot verify it actually happened. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ASign it because the check was probably done
• BDecline to sign until you have verified the check was genuinely carried out✓
• CSign it but add a small note of doubt
• DAsk a colleague to sign it instead

Answer: Never confirming something you cannot verify, especially regarding safety, is essential to integrity and protects everyone.

A supplier you work with sends you an expensive gift just before you are due to decide whether to renew their contract. Company policy on gifts is unclear to you. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AAccept the gift quietly as a normal courtesy
• BAccept it but make sure you still choose objectively
• CDeclare the gift to your manager and check the policy before deciding whether to accept or return it✓
• DReturn it rudely to make a point

Answer: Declaring the gift and checking policy avoids any conflict of interest and keeps the decision transparent and fair.

You overhear two colleagues sharing confidential information about a client in a public area where others could hear. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AJoin the conversation since you already heard it
• BIgnore it as it is not your client
• CDiscreetly remind them they are in a public space and the information is confidential✓
• DReport them straight to senior management without speaking to them

Answer: A discreet reminder addresses the confidentiality breach immediately and respectfully, protecting the client without overreacting.

You realise a report you are about to publish contains data that, while technically accurate, is presented in a way that could mislead readers to a favourable conclusion. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• APublish it as is, since the data is technically accurate
• BAdjust the presentation so the data gives a clear and fair impression✓
• CAdd even more favourable framing to strengthen the message
• DRemove the data entirely to avoid the issue

Answer: Presenting accurate data fairly, rather than in a misleading way, upholds honesty and the credibility of your work.

You are running late and could quickly copy a colleague's completed compliance training answers to mark your own mandatory training as done. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ACopy the answers to save time, as the content is similar
• BComplete the training properly yourself, even if it means doing it later✓
• CAsk your colleague to do the training under your login
• DMark it as complete without doing it

Answer: Genuinely completing mandatory training ensures you actually understand it and is the only honest course of action.

A colleague asks you to clock them in early because they are running a few minutes late and do not want it to count against them. They say everyone does it. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AClock them in as a favour since it is only a few minutes
• BPolitely decline and explain you are not comfortable falsifying records✓
• CClock them in but tell them not to ask again
• DReport them immediately for even asking

Answer: Politely refusing to falsify time records protects your own integrity while handling the request with tact.

During a client pitch, a senior colleague states something about your product's capabilities that you know to be inaccurate. The client seems impressed. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• AStay silent to avoid undermining your colleague in front of the client
• BCorrect your colleague sharply in front of the client
• CTactfully clarify the accurate position, and speak to your colleague afterwards to align✓
• DRepeat the inaccurate claim to reinforce it

Answer: Tactfully clarifying the truth protects the client relationship and your integrity, while handling your colleague respectfully afterwards.

You are working from home and have completed your tasks well before the end of the day. No one is monitoring your hours closely. What is the MOST appropriate action?

• ALog off early since your work is done and no one will notice
• BUse the remaining time productively, such as helping colleagues, learning, or getting ahead, while remaining available✓
• CStay logged in but do personal tasks
• DTake on no further work and wait for the day to end

Answer: Using paid working time productively and remaining available reflects professional integrity even without supervision.