Counterproductive Work Behavior: The Effects of a Supervisor

Counterproductive Work Behavior: The Effects of a Supervisor

Abstract

The way a supervisor conducts themselves can have a huge impact on an employee’s counterproductive work behavior.  Counterproductive work behavior is shown in many forms at a workplace.  They can range from difficult personalities that can damage the team cohesion, to theft by the employee that undermines the company’s financial well-being. While counterproductive work behavior cannot be eliminated entirely, it can be minimized by the supervisor monitoring the way they conduct themselves.  The common thread amongst these behaviors are that they are committed by the employees to try to hurt the supervisor. In some cases, the variety of the forms of behavior, such as theft or sabotage, has the same effect and purpose of actually retaliating against their supervisor for real or imagined injustices. In other instances, behaviors are committed as response to the other actions. For example, a person can steal because of the need of being paid limited salary but has a very sick child, or even cover a benefit that is not offered or lost by the employee. This version of counterproductive work behavior is that the concept is useful as a way to classify a variety of actions, but it should not be considered a onetime occasion that is justifiable.

Counterproductive Work Behavior

     Kristen receives a phone call from a very good friend, by the name of Karisa, whom is now working at a company she has been trying to work at for years.  Karisa, who is very distraught and crying, tells Kristen all of the horrible things she is going through with her boss and even found out that she was not the only one, but others in her office as well.  Her supervisor was very nice when she first started at her job last year, but now having to work for him has become unbearable.  Karisa went to explain that she needed someone to talk to because now she feels as if her motivation and job performance has been compromised and she does not want to lose her job.  She even told Kristen that there are times she just wants to reacts in ways that will not jeopardize her job, but will make her feel like she has gotten even with her supervisor.

     Many employees have the same feelings, thoughts, and emotions as Karisa.  The way a supervisor conducts themselves can have a huge impact on an employee’s counterproductive work behavior.  With the development of society, there has been focus and deeper understanding on the way supervisors behave and treat their employees.  Researchers have actually devoted their time to not only study positive aspects of supervisors, but also the negative behaviors, such as abusive supervision and counter productive work behavior.   “Counterproductive work behavior is defined as “voluntary behaviors that have potential to directly or indirectly harm the organization” (Glinlow & McShane, 2016, p27).  “In many studies of workplace bullying, the majority of bullies were found to be managers or supervisors” (Diaz & McMillin 1991, Hoel et al. 2001, Zapf et al. 2003, Lutgen-Sandvik et al. 2007).  The behaviors used can come from numerous accelerated conditions in the person created it and the situation they created, but it has become a commonality of the abuse employees receive from their supervisors, such as the use of insulting words, repetitive nitpicking, micromanaging, that has a negative impact on the mental health or the employee.  This leads to the decrease of productivity, personality of the employee, and the high level of separation rate. Companies are affected from this and it has become necessary to significantly improve supervisor’s management strategies and promote healthy and positives working attitudes of the employees.