Productive and Counterproductive Workplace Behaviors
The workplace is a platform where various types of behaviors are expressed. These behaviors have varied ramifications on employees and the organization as a whole. In this paper, the terms productive and counterproductive workplace behaviors will be defined, the impacts of these two types of behaviors on job performance and organizational performance described, and the strategies for enhancing productive behaviors and mitigating counterproductive behaviors explored.
Definitions
Productive workplace behaviors are employee voluntary behaviors that impact positively on the organization or its employees (Bukhari & Ali, 2009, p. 85). They embody showing altruism to other workers, encouraging clients to invest in the company, defending the firm when it is criticized, and good utilization of the organization’s resources amongst others. Counterproductive workplace behaviors, on the other hand, are voluntary, intentional, and discrete behaviors that violate organizational norms, rules, or policies, hinder the achievement of organizational goals, and are detrimental to the legitimate interests of the organization (Mount, Ilies, & Johnson, 2006, p. 591). These deviant behaviors include theft and related behaviors; destruction of property either by defacing, sabotage, or intentional damage; misuse of information, time, and resources; unsafe behaviors such as failure to follow safety procedures; poor attendance and quality of work; alcohol and drug possession or use; inappropriate verbal actions such as harassing other workers and customers; and inappropriate physical actions such as untoward sexual advances (Sackett, 2002, pp. 5-6).
Impact of Productive and Counterproductive Work Behaviors on Job Performance and Organizational Performance
Productive workplace behaviors enhance the job performance of individual employees and concomitantly, organizational performance. This is because such behaviors help to improve the productivity of coworkers and supervisors, stabilize organizational performance, in the coordination of activities, and companies to attract and retain employees (Bukhari & Ali, 2007, p. 86). Counterproductive workplace behaviors have adverse impacts on job performance and organizational performance. The negative psychological impacts of these anti-social behaviors are difficult to quantify. They lead to decreased employee morale, increased rates of employee’s absenteeism and turnover, and decreases in worker productivity amongst the victims of these behaviors. Decreased employee performance leads to decreased organizational performance. Other factors that contribute to a decline in organizational performance as a consequence of these behaviors include theft and fraud. The latter factors weaken the financial capabilities of corporations and in effect their financial performance. It is estimated that these deviant behaviors cost businesses in the US approximately $50 billion every year and account for up to 20% of business failures (Mount, Ilies, & Johnson, 2006, p. 592).
Strategies for Enhancing Productive Behaviors and Curbing Counterproductive Behaviors
Strategies for enhancing productive workplace behaviors encompass empowering employees by ensuring that they have access to information regarding organizational strategies and goals, recognizing and rewarding employees who display productive behaviors, role-modeling of these behaviors by the senior management, promoting organizational justice by ensuring that all employees are treated equally, enhancing employee job-related autonomy, ensuring that the working conditions are conducive, and finally, discouraging deviant behaviors through punishments (Appelbaum, Laconi, & Matousek, 2007, pp. 593-596).
Strategies for curbing CPBs include adoption of a specific organizational culture, clustering together all values and norms acceptable to the different subcultures within the workforce, and making background checks on potential employees. The management team should set out ethical core values and norms for the entire organization. These values and norms should be clearly articulated in the organization’s strategy, mission, or philosophy. The senior management of the organization should lead by example and convey strong ethical values so that they can trickle down to the rest of the organization (Appelbaum, Laconi, & Matousek, 2007, p. 596).
The second approach entails grouping together all values and norms acceptable to the different subcultures within the organization. This requires the management to understand the diverse values and norms held by the various subcultures within the organization. Understanding of these values will enable the management to provide clear directions to employees drawn from different subcultures. In so doing, the management will ensure that employees help the organization to achieve its goals without having to ascribe to a new set of ethical values (Appelbaum, Laconi, & Matousek, 2007, p. 596).
The third strategy involves conducting frequent background checks on potential employees before hiring them. This helps organizations to prevent behaviors that may adversely affect them. Managers should also match the severity of punishment with the level of violation of organizational norms (Appelbaum, Laconi, & Matousek, 2007, p. 596).
Conclusion
In conclusion, productive workplace behaviors are voluntary acts of employees that are in the best interest of the organization whilst counterproductive behaviors are deliberate acts that go against the legitimate interests of an organization. Productive behaviors enhance job performance and concomitantly, organizational performance. Counterproductive behaviors reduce job and organizational performance. The strategies for enhancing productive behaviors include promoting organizational justice, role modeling of these behaviors amongst others. Possible solutions to counterproductive behaviors include promotion of an ethical culture within the organization and punishing employees who display disruptive behaviors.
References
Appelbaum, S. H., Laconi, G. D., & Matousek, A. (2007). Positive and negative deviant
workplace behaviors: Causes, impacts, and solutions. Corporate Governance, 7(5), 568-
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Bukhari, Z.U. & Ali, U. (2009). Relationship between organizational citizenship behavior and
counterproductive work behavior in the geographical context of Pakistan. International
Journal of Business Management, 4(1), 85-97.
Mount, M., Ilies, R., & Johnson, E. (2006). Relationship of personality traits and
counterproductive work behaviors: The mediating effects of job satisfaction. Personnel
Psychology, 59, 591-622.
Sackett, P. R. (2002). The structure of counterproductive work behaviors: Dimensionality and
relationships with facets of job performance. International Journal of Selection and
Assessment, 10(1/2), 5-11.
