Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.
This project examined employee perceptions of productive (e.g. being courteous, helpful and putting in extra effort) and counter-productive (e.g. theft, verbal abuse, bullying) workplace behaviours, and explored whether they are bi-polar (opposing ends of the same continuum) or multi-dimensional (separate but related concepts). Additionally, the research was framed within a cross-cultural context (UK, The Netherlands, Turkey and Greece) to examine the potential impact of differing values, beliefs and norms on perceptions and extent of engagement in productive and counter-productive behaviours. A two-stage mixed-method approach was employed. In the phase one qualitative survey element (not deposited here), a series of semi-structured interviews was conducted with 6-12 employees per country to assess employee experiences and perceptions of productive and counter-productive work behaviour across the four countries. Analysis of the qualitative data suggested themes that were then used as variables within the phase two quantitative survey, which is deposited here. For the quantitative survey, an on-line questionnaire was developed for samples of employees in one organisation in each of the four countries, assessing their levels of workplace productive behaviour and counter-productive behaviour, as well as personality, commitment, fairness, perceived organisational support and leadership. The on-line survey was translated into each language by researchers. The on-line survey link was disseminated in the UK and Dutch organisations, whilst paper questionnaires were completed in the Greek and Turkish samples. Further information about the project is available from the ESRC Award web page.
Main Topics:
The quantitative survey used the Voluntary Workplace Behaviour scale, which measures the following five productive and counter-productive behaviour factors: organisationally focused counter-productive behaviour, e.g. theft, absenteeism, lateness, and a lack of effortinterpersonally focused counter-productive behaviour, e.g. insulting people, spreading rumours, and being aggressiveorganisationally focused productive behaviour, e.g. extra effort, promoting the organisation, volunteering for extra activities, and finding solutionsinterpersonal courtesy, e.g. keeping the peace, treating people fairly, and being courteous and cooperativeinterpersonal helping, e.g. assisting co-workers with their jobs and supporting othersThe survey also used other scales and methods to measure the following factors: personalityjusticecommitment at workperceived organisational supportleadership
Convenience sample
Self-completion
