The document discusses counterproductive workplace behavior (CWB) and methods to reduce it. It defines CWB and explores individual and situational factors that contribute to it. Common reduction methods discussed include integrity tests for candidates and security/policies for current employees. While traits like neuroticism and conscientiousness correlate somewhat with CWB tendencies, integrity tests are better predictors. The presentation recommends using integrity tests in hiring and clear communication of policies/outcomes to disincentivize CWB among current employees.

1. Presented by Dr. Paul Wood
paul.wood@opragroup.com
021 972 976

2. Counterproductive/Deviant Workplace Behaviour
• What is counterproductive workplace behaviour (CWB)?
• The definition of deviance.
• The ingredients of CWBs.
• Common CWB reduction methods.
• Integrity Tests.
• Questions and Answers: The relationships among integrity,
personality, and intelligence tests.
• Implications.
• General suggestions for reducing CWBs.

3. Counterproductive Workplace Behaviour
“Counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) are
volitional behaviours that harm or are intended to
harm organizations or people in organizations.”
Counterproductive
- Spector and Fox (2005). Workplace
Behaviour
Organisational Individual Deviance
Deviance (OD) (ID)
Absenteeism Sabotage Theft
Poor quality work Verbal abuse
Tardiness Theft Sabotage
Policy violations Violence
Go slow Negative PR Gossip

4. The Definition of Deviance
Deviance is defined as departing from usual or accepted standards.
Frequency in Population
Less than Average Average Greater than Average

5. Ingredients of CWBs
Leadership style
Neuroticism Working conditions
Integrity Situational
Factors Culture
Attributional style Individual
Differences Prior outcomes
Locus of control Home life
Conscientiousness Rules and procedures
Stress tolerance Cognitive
Processing
Perceptions of inequity Attributions of source
or injustice and stability of inequity
Counterproductive Behaviour
Model adapted from Martinko, Gundlach, and Douglas (2002).

6. Common CWB Reduction methods
Reduction
Methods
Incumbents Candidates
Integrity Previous
Security Policy
Tests History

7. Integrity Tests
General Information:
• Overt and Covert.
• Became popular after 1988 Employee
Polygraph Protection Act.
• Used to exclude high-risk candidates.
• Around 14% of North American companies
used integrity tests by 1998.
Stanton Survey of Integrity:
• Overt and self-report.
• Well validated.
• Examines work related theft, theft unrelated to work, and company policy
violations.
• Makes use of rationalisation

8. Questions and Answers
Questions:
• What are the relationships among intelligence, personality, and integrity?
• Are conscientiousness and integrity the same thing?
• Might predictions of job performance be more accurate if you add an integrity test?
Findings (Study 1):
• Conscientiousness - Integrity relationship weak (explaining 6% of Integrity test variance).
• Neuroticism - Integrity relationship moderate (explaining 19% of Integrity test variance).
• No significant relationships with fluid or crystallised intelligence.
Findings (Study 2):
• Conscientiousness - Integrity relationship moderate (explaining 21% of
Integrity test variance).
• Neuroticism - Integrity relationship moderate (explaining 18% of
Integrity test variance).
• No significant relationships with fluid or crystallised intelligence.

9. Implications
• People who are more suspicious , short-tempered, and
sensitive may be slightly more likely to engage in
counterproductive behaviour.
• People who are more self-controlled and rule following
may be slightly less likely to engage in counterproductive
behaviour.
• Different assessments of neuroticism and
conscientiousness are likely to have different relationships
with CWBs, but neither are likely to be as good at
predicting CWBs as dedicated integrity tests.

10. General Suggestions
Selection:
• Consider the use of Integrity tests to reduce the risk of poor
hiring decisions.
• Consider your organisational culture/climate and make sure
you provide a realistic job preview.
General Operation:
• Clearly communicate the causes of undesirable outcomes,
and their temporary nature.
• Clearly communicate what constitutes acceptable
/unacceptable behaviours.
• Establish more communication channels for employees to
express needs and concerns – be seen to act on those
concerns!

11. Recap
• Counterproductive Workplace Behaviours occur as the result of individual
differences, situational factors, and cognitive processing (perceptions and
attributions).
• Organisations attempt to reduce CWBs through increasing security and attempting
to exclude high-risk candidates.
• Integrity tests are a common and effective way to identify high-risk candidates.
• Relationships among personality traits and integrity tests indicate relatively more
neurotic and expedient individuals may be slightly more prone to CWBs.
• Organisations attempting to reduce CWBs will benefit if they exclude high-risk
candidates via integrity tests and institute communication strategies and policies
designed to reduce the conditions that lead to incumbent CWBs.
Reduce your selection of bad apples and make sure you don’t have a bad barrel!