WORKPLACE DEVIANT

BEHAVIOR

AYŞE ÇOBAN

SARA DEMİREL

CONTENT• Definition of Workplace Deviant Behavior

• Antecedents of Workplace Deviant Behavior(WDB)

• Consequences of WDB

• Preventing WDB

What is Workplace Deviant

Behavior?

‘‘Employee deviance is defined as

voluntary behavior that violates significant

organizational norms and in so doing

threatens the well-being of an

organization, its members, or both.’’

(Robinson & Bennett, 1995)

Example: Stealing, witholding effort, and

acting rudely to co-workers.

OTHER DEFINITIONS OF WDB

Source: Robinson, S. L., & Greenberg, J. (1998). Employees behaving badly: Dimensions, determinants and

dilemmas in the study of workplace deviance.

Property Deviance • Sabotagigng equipment

• Accepting kickbacks

• Lying abour hours worked

• Stealing from company

Typology of Workplace Deviance

Production Deviance • Leaving early

• Taking excessive breaks

• Intentionally working slow

• Wasting resources

ORGANIZATIONAL

INTERPERSONAL

MINORSERIOUS

Political Deviance • Showing favoritism• Gossiping about co-workers• Blaming co-workers• Competing nonbeneficially

Personel Aggression

• Sexual Harresment • Verbal Abuse• Stealing from coworkers• Endangering cowerkers

Deviant Workplace Behavior vs. Ethical

Behavior

• DWB focuses on violating

organizatinal norms whereas the

ethical behavior focuses on what is

right or wrong when judged in terms

of justice, law or other societal

guidelines. (Robinson & Bennett,1995)

• Example: Dumping toxic waste in a

river is not deviant if it conforms with

the policies of an organization. On

the other hand, reporting thisdumping to authorities is an ethical

behavior.

Positive Deviant Behavior

• “Positive deviance is defined as intentional

behavior that departs from the norms of a

referent group in honorable ways.’’

(Robinson & Bennett, 1995)

• Example:Innovative behavior,

noncompliance with dysfunctional

directives, criticizing incompetent superiors.

Antecedents of Workplace Deviant Behavior

I. Individual Factorso Personality; Type A and Hostile Attributional Bias personalities tend to

being aggressive, emotinally reactive individuals, personalities that like

hurting and discomforting people have predisposition to behave

deviantly.

o Locus of Control; External individuals are more likely to commit in deviant

behaviors.

o Machiavellianism and Love of Money; Machiavellianism is the way of

manipulating people to get personal benefits and Machiavelists tend to

behave more deviantly.

o Personality flaw; People who have mental problems would probably

show deviant behavior at work. E.g. Alcohol or drug users, schizophrenic

individuals.

o Negative emotions; Their effects are mainly on justice perceptions and

by this way deviant behavior occurs. ( Perception of injustice because

employee seek fair and just treatments in their work environments

Antecedents of Workplace Deviant Behavior (Cont.)

II. Demographic Factors o Gender

o Tenure

o Education

o Age

o Status and Numerous Reference Groups

o Religion

o Marginality Position

Antecedents of Workplace Deviant Behavior (Cont.)

II. Situational Factors o Social and Interpersonal factors

• Influence of work group

• Influence of supervisors

• Opportunities

• Needs

• Indebtedness

• Dissimilarities

o Organizational Factors

• Operational enviroment

• Organizational culture

• Job characteristics

• Company task structure and involvement

• Counter norms

• Job satisfaction

• Ethical work climate

• Organizational commitment

• Organizational frustration

• Organizational Justice

• Perceived organizational support

• Stress

Consequences of Workplace Deviant Behavior

• Economic CostsResearcher shows that organizations bear significant economic loose from deviant behaviorso Decreased productivity,

o Lack of product consistency

o Loss of inventory control

o Inconsistent service quality

o Effectiveness and performance of employees.

o Damaged equipment

• Social Costso Decreased reputation,

o Reduced employee morale.

o Increased revenge-seeking in the workplace

o It decreases the other’s organizational commitment

o Decrases in job satisfaction and increases in turnover.

• Sufferero Psychological problems,

o Aggressive behaviours,

o Anxiety

• Hostile working environment

Preventing Deviant Behaviour

‘‘Organizational Behaviorist are not only interested in idetifing factors cause to deviant workplace behavior, they also try to give some recommodations about how to minimize and restrict DWB.’’ ( Rogojan,2009)

• Promoting an Ethical Organizational Culture

• Ethical Leadership

• Installing “Toxic Handlers”

• Training Programs

• Personnel Selection

o Background check

o Polygraph Test

o Employment Interview

o Honesty Tests

o Psychometric Tests

• Control

• Promoting Pro-Social Behavior

• Ethics Courses

REFERENCES

• Robinson, S. L., & Bennett, R. J. (1995). A typology of

deviant workplace behaviors: A multidimensional scaling

study. Academy of management journal,38(2), 555-572.

• Robinson, S. L., & Greenberg, J. (1998). Employees

behaving badly: Dimensions, determinants and

dilemmas in the study of workplace deviance.

• Rogojan, P. T. (2009). Deviant Workplace Behavior in

Organizations: Antecedents, Influences, and Remedies.

• Kantur, D. (2010). Emotional Motives and Attitudinal

Reflections of Workplace Deviant Behavior. The Besuiness

Review, Cambridge, 14(2), 70-77