Ethicial for a company to solicit its employees for free voiceovers?

[MaryElaine]

Do you think it's ethical for a successful company (operating well in the black) to ask its employees to do voiceovers in educational videos? The company once employed professionals, but now wishes to save money. I declined, as I have done voice over work professionally in the past and feel it undermines my talent and skill to ask me to provide it without reimbursement.

[Yonie]

I think it's up to the employees to put a value on their worth and then either say "yes" or "no". They should not be obliged to do it.

[RickRileyVoice]

Not sure I'm getting the drift here. Providing it's not unethical or immoral, why should an employee balk at an employer's request if the employee is on the clock and getting paid? If the employer wanted someone who was a good writer to compose an ad, should an employee who's been a professional copywriter balk becuase he''s done it before, or step up to the plate and say, "I can do that. I've had a lot of experience in that field".

I'm guessing the employer is not asking anyone to work overtime without being paid. The employer is paying employees to do various jobs, and VO certainly is a job. So I would think the employee who has the skill to help the employer get the job done and steps up to the plate to do so, would be an employee that would be a standout and one well worth the employer keeping employed. Perhaps even promoting.

Just my opinion.

[Jacoby]

In my early days as a starting VO artist I did something like this without extra pay. I was working as a sound engineer at a small-market local TV-station and did a few voiceover jobs, one was a rather huge narration job for a documentary. At that time I looked at it as practice, and something I could use to market myself later. Had I been asked today I probably wouldn't have done it if I weren't paid extra for the effort.
I think the question is; is it part of the job-description? If you had a job at an office and had prior experience as say, a carpenter or interior painter, would you be willing to do construction or interior decoration work without getting paid extra?

So, I'm with Yonie on this one. If asked, you should feel free to decline if it's not in your job description. But I'm sure some would look at it as a fun experience. Some would probably even think: "hey, this is quite fun, maybe I could do this as a part-time job professionally??" :)

[jsgilbert]

Here's the why not. The compensation isn't appropriate. You may be on the clock, getting $37.50 per hour to do an engineering job. You are then asked to be an actor and paid the same $37.50, but are doing a job that may actually have previously budgeted $100 - $500 per hour.

As an audio director, I may get a day rate of $800. If I am asked to do voices for the project, I an not on the clock as a director, but as an actor, which generally pays 3 to 4 times higher.

Let's hire top surgeons to be janitors, but ask them to perform some operations since they're on the clock.

[RickRileyVoice]

If asked, you should feel free to decline if it's not in your job description.

When I'm en employer, I look to reward those who go the extra mile. And I look to replace those who have a habit of quoting their 'job description'.

[Jacoby]

Urgh... wish my English were better. I've done several attempts on replies to Rick's comment, but most of them came out wrong. So I'll have to settle with: "I disagree more than I'm able to express in a second language!"

[RickRileyVoice]

"I disagree more than I'm able to express in a second language!"

Jacoby, I know that English is not your primary language, but I would never know it by the way you write. You express yourself extremely well. And your reply to my comment spoke volumes. It also made me smile. I frustrated you so much, you couldn't muster the words to express your discontentment.

My view is, there are basically two camps in the working world. One camp does everything they can to be of value to those that hire them. The other spends a lot of time quoting their job description and making sure they don't get taken advantage of.

I am in the first camp. Because of that I have received countless promotions in my career and multiple bonuses. My greatest experience comes from the time my employer wanted me to do a job, but we couldn't come to terms on the price. I thought it was worth more than he did. I said, 'if I do it and you get this result, will it be worth this amount to you?" He said,'absolutely'. I said, 'then I'll do the job, and when it's done with the result I think I can get, then pay me what we both agree it's worth.' We agreed.

We set one year as my goal. Keep in mind, I was an employee,already earning a salary, but this job was not in my 'job description'. At the end of the year, I reached the goal and received $50,000, plus a $50,000 bonus,plus a $50,000 raise.

The bottom line: Helping my employer reach his goal, cameback to me a year later as a $100,000 check and a $50,000 raise. I've also done many jobs that weren't in my job description and I wasn't even asked to do, but when I found out they were looking for someone to do them, I volunteered my talents. I've helped people close deals, manage situations and stepped in where someone stepped out. Bonuses and promotions in all shapes and sizes have been my reward along the way. And sometimes it was just a thank you, but that was enough as well. Long termvisions, in my experience, far outweigh short sighted limitations.

Again, I'm not asking anyone to be in 'my camp', I'm just citing some results from it. These are tough times. IMO, those with jobs need to be of great value because there's someone who doesn't have a job and who's very hungry right behind them. They would LOVE that job and be more than willing to do what it takes to feed their family.

An employee who thinks they can call the shots, IMO, won't be an employee very long.

Again, it's just my 2 cents

[Lapianoman]

I can see both sides of the coin. I haven't been asked (yet) to do any VO for my current company, but if they asked, I would gladly do it, especially if it took me away from my cubical for a few hours. If I worked for a place that I felt was trying to take advantage (come in on Saturday & spend several hours, all for no extra pay) then I would politely decline. As long as they are making it optional, you have full control.

Now, if they insist you do it "or else", then you have to weigh whether it's worth looking for a new job. In this economy, I'd probably endure some "extra" work...at least for awhile.

[Jacoby]

Rick, first and foremost, thank you very much for the compliment on my english. Made my day.
And don't get me wrong, I hear what you're saying and understand (and respect!) your opinion, but it was important for me to emphasize that, at least for me, there's a difference between doing the job you're expected and paid to do, and doing something you're not expected and not paidto do. VO is just one example, it could be anything, like asking an accountant to repaint the office during business hours and expect him to oblige without a peep, "or else..."
In this particular case, well, if I, like MaryElaine, was an employee with VO experience, but doing VO was not in my job description, I would feel... well, "used" if I was expected to do VO for the company, knowing that the company used to hire professionals in the past. At least, it should be my right to decline without risking my job, and that's what provoked me about your opinion.

Besides, as a pro VO artist standing on the sideline, how could I not feel bad about a situation, where a company would rather use its own employees instead of hiring the right people for the job?

Regardless, it's an interesting topic. Quite the debut there, MaryElaine!