Do the right thing, say most human resource professionals working in the United States. Just don't expect that your ethical behavior will be rewarded.

A new survey of human resources professionals shows that half do not think that ethical conduct is going to be rewarded in business today. Over the last five years, the trend has taken a decidedly unethical bent, as more professionals come under more pressure to compromise their standards.

And just because human resources professionals are seeing fewer examples of unethical behavior that does not necessarily mean there are fewer examples to see. Human resources professionals have, apparently, simply stopped looking for lapses.

The national survey of 462 human resources experts - 101 responded - had staggering findings:

The number of professionals who feel pressure to compromise ethical standards has doubled in just five years. Today, one in four feel pressured to compromise ethical standards "all the time, fairly often or periodically."

Back in 1997, when the last survey on these questions occurred, only 13 percent felt that heat. So, in five years the number of professionals who feel the heat to ignore their consciences has doubled.

The top five causes of pressure are: boss's directive and financial pressure tie at first place, followed by helping a company survive, meeting scheduling demands and wanting to be a team player.

The misconduct that most observe or, rather, as the case may be try not to observe includes:

• Misreporting of hours worked.

• Employees lying to supervisors.

• Management lying to employees, customers, vendors or the public.

Another illuminating facet of the survey is the broad spectrum of economic sectors where abuse happens.

Human resources professionals in government, health and wholesale/retail trade are most likely to see incidents of misconduct. Specialists in manufacturing and finance were the least likely to see lapses.

One irony of the survey is its timing.

Despite months of headlines and hand wringing over ethical lapses at Enron, WorldCom and other public companies that have been looted by their executives, some folks are still, apparently, fearless. They must simply not think that there will be any significant consequences for their actions or for their inactions.

Linda S. Gravett, PhD., author of HRM Ethic: Perspective for a New Millennium (Atomic Dog Publishing: $18.95) and a Greater Cincinnati human resources consultant, says the survey tracks with the research for her book. She interviewed or surveyed 518 professionals.

"The majority of the practitioners I talked with said they were feeling a great deal of pressure to not only look the other way, but to find ways to disguise the fact that a company's ethical standards weren't what they should be," she says.

"And to disguise that fact from employees or potential employees."

So the prospect is, well, bleak?

"Yes," she says. "And what's even worse is that employees with 10 to 15 years of experience were less likely to leave the company. They will probably stay with the company and do whatever they needed to do."

E-mail at jeckberg@enquirer.com