Integrity testing is a current hot topic in HR. However, the idea of understanding and eliminating deviant behaviour in the workplace is certainly nothing new. This SlideShare discusses the research in the area and measures that can be taken to minimize counterproductive workplace behaviour.

1. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Deviant Workplace
Behaviour
Workplace Psychology

2. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
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. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Counterproductive
Workplace Behaviour
Counterproductive
Workplace
behaviour
Organisational
Deviance (OD)
Poor Quality Work
Policy Violations
Absenteeism
Tardiness
Go Slow
Sabotage
Theft
Negative PR
Individual
Deviance (ID)
Theft
Sabotage
Gossip
Verbal Abuse
Violence
“Counterproductive work behaviours (CWBs)
are volitional behaviours that harm or are
intended to harm organizations or people in
organizations.”
- Spector and Fox (2005).

4. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
The Definition of Deviance
Deviance is defined as departing from
usual or accepted standards.

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

6. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Common CWB
Reduction methods
Reduction
Methods
Incumbents
Security Policy
Candidates
Integrity
Tests
Previous
History

7. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
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. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.Questions and Answers
Questions:
1. What are the relationships among
intelligence, personality, and
integrity?
2. Are conscientiousness and integrity
the same thing?
3. Might predictions of job
performance be more accurate if
you add an integrity test?

9. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
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.
Questions and Answers

10. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.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.

11. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.Implications
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.

12. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
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.

13. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
General Suggestions
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!

14. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
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.

15. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Recap
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!