Theft in the Workplace
The great global recession has claimed many victims. In many
countries, unemployment is at near-historic highs, and even those who have
managed to keep their jobs have been asked to accept reduced work hours or pay
cuts. In some cases—say, the US auto industry—job losses have been predictable
but no less painful. However, in other cases, they have come as a surprise.
Norm Elrod had earned an MBA while employed at an online marketing firm. His
degree didn't save his job—Elrod was laid off in October 2008 and, as of April
2009, he was unemployed and still looking for work. "There's a lot of
frustration out there," Elrod said.
The financial and psychological pain caused by the recession
may lead you to wonder whether employees attempt to get even. Is there evidence
the recession has led to increased incidents of workplace violence, sabotage,
or theft? As it turns out, this is a very difficult question to answer with any
confidence. The difficulty illustrates how organizational behavior can teach
you how to think critically about problems and analyze them carefully.
During any recession, there is no lack of reports on the
calamitous effects of the downturn. The Times of London reported that US job
losses were directly linked to 58 fatalities in eight incidents during one
month in 2009. Among them was a Vietnamese man fired from his factory job who
killed 13 people at an immigration center in Binghamton, New York.
It's not just displaced-worker violence that is getting
headlines. Among nearly 400 employees asked in late 2008 whether the recession
had caused a recent rise in thefts of money among employees, 18 percent said
yes, 41 percent said no, and 41 percent were unsure. Though this poll suggests
only a small minority of employers thought the recession had led to an increase
in employee theft, the media reported the opposite result. The Wall Street
Journal ran the headline "Businesses Say Theft by Their Workers Is
Up." MSN Money, under the headline "Businesses See Rise in Employee
Theft," reported the poll results as follows: "When asked if they had
noticed a recent rise in monetary theft among employees, such as fraudulent
transactions or missing cash, 18% said yes, 41% were unsure and the rest said
they hadn't." You'll notice that, put another way, 18 percent agree that
theft is up, and 82 percent either disagree or are unsure. But that makes for a
less sexy headline.
Another mischief factor is companies that exist to provide
services, software, and technology to deter workplace theft. While they might
provide a valuable service to the organizations they serve, it is in their
interest for employers and the general public to believe incidences of
workplace violence and theft are increasing. These companies often produce
press releases, which then work their way into the media and presumably
generate potential clients for the organizations. One such company, for
example, publicizes a study of workplace theft, reporting it has increased each
and every year since 2003.
We are not arguing that all business press articles—or all
studies done by organizations—are inaccurate. But these examples do illustrate
one of the benefits of learning organizational behavior. Put on your
investigator hat, ask questions, analyze the situation, and consider the
source!
Your discussion assignment this week requires you to locate
an article on theft in the workplace attributed to recession and share with
your class the important points that your article made. Based upon your reading
and research, discuss how the following variables may affect an employee's
likelihood to steal from their company:
Employee attitudes
Employee satisfaction
Employee personality
Employee values
Lastly, discuss what you would do to lessen the likelihood
of employee theft. You may draw from your experience, this week's readings, and
your own research.
Demonstrate that your research comes from credible sources
and cite them in APA format.
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