COUNTERPRODUCTIVE

BEHAVIORS AND
EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE

Reporter: Edrohn R. Cumla

COUNTERPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIORS
- Define as behaviors that explicitly run counter to the
goals on an organization (JEX 2002)
- The most commonly studied counterproductive behaviors
have been tardiness and absenteeism and their impact on
organizational commitment and withdrawal (SHAIRA-
LISHCHINSKY AND EVAN ZOHAR 2011)
- Alcoholism and its relationship with increased absence
from work (BACHARACH, BAMBERGER AND
BIRON 2010), and the effect of substance abuse on work
performance and increasing antagonistic behaviors (JEX
2002)
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE
BEHAVIOR IN
THE PHILIPPINE
ORGANIZATION
 FELIPE LANDA JOCANO
Being a collectivist in a society, Filipinos give higher
importance to interpersonal relations than westerns.
Employee consider workmates as friend and that
relationships go to beyond work to affect personal lives.
An example is the Filipino value of “pakikisama”, which
means to concerned about, to be supportive of and to
concede to public opinion in social situations in order to
achieve group cohesion.
 SAITO ET AL
- Suggested that Filipinos tend to be
motivated and productive when working
when group or teams with face to face
interaction. Given this collectivist culture,
counterproductive behaviors may involve
interaction with other people or may be
motivated by social relationships.
 THIS VALUE HAS TWO FACES:
One that allows smooth interpersonal
relationships to occur.

The other may create groupthink or

cohesion so strong, it may actually
encourage counterproductive
behavior.
 EMPLOYEE TURNOVER
Employee turnover refers to the number or
percentage of workers who leave an
organization and are replaced by
new employees. Measuring employee
turnover can be helpful to employers that
want to examine reasons for turnover or
estimate the cost-to-hire for budget purposes.
 According to the 2011 Labor
Turnover Survey conducted among
700 large enterprises in Metro
Manila, turnover rate across
industries is at 8.5 percent.

However, the story is different in the call

center industry where about 27 percent of
call center agents leave their companies
only after six months to a year service.
Turnover, Job Fit, and Organizational Commitment

A number of local studies have found that other factors such

as job fit and organizational commitment have strong impact
on turnover. A study conducted among 140 employees of
multinational company in the Philippines found that poor
organizational commitment, job satisfaction, supervision, and
teamwork contribute to turnover intent.

Too reduce turnover, there must be an increase in

self – worth, competency, and meaning task
required.
Burnout is define as a “syndrome of emotional exhaustion,
depersonalization and reduce personal accomplishment”
(Demerouti, Bakker, Nachreiner and Schaufeli 2001)
There are number of variables found to
influence burnout. For example, a study done
by Cera (2005) among 124 teachers that found
that educators’ experiences of emotional
exhaustion are negatively related to
workload, control, reward, community, and
values. Tis means that these factors lead to
varying levels of job burnout or emotional
exhaustion which influence the teachers, to
quit.
 Relational Aggression
Relational aggression demonstrated
between groups or individual with the
intention of destroying relationship
structures in the organization. It can take
the form of verbal and non – verbal action
meant to utilize sociability processes to
create animosity.
Spreading rumors can be either positive
or negative. However, the majority of
rumors are typically negative, sometimes
leaning on the offensive or the
derogatory. These rumors can range from
valid and reliable facts, to the false
information aimed to destroy reputations.
 Backstabbing
The study also looked at individuals who were the subject
of rumors. They were reported to have low sociability
scores that may have led to interaction with other
members of the organization. Since they cannot spread
rumors because of the lack of people who will listen,
they end up demonstrating behaviors meant to sabotage
tasks or duties of the in – group.
 Sexual Harassment
Considered as one of the severe forms of the
counterproductive behavior, sexual harassment
takes various forms: it can begin at cracking sexual
jokes, sexual statement such as sharing one’s sexual
activities, passing notes with sexual innuendo, and
can move on to making sexual advances, asking
sexual favors, or even the extreme touching oneself
sexually in front of the one being harassed.
 DISCRIMINATION
Discrimination is define as “the applied
prejudice is which negative social
definitions are translated into action”
(Feagin and Eckberg 1980). Those
perceived to have less influence, power
or authority in a social setting tend to
be more prone to discrimination. The
most common in the Philippine
workplace appears to be related to
gender identity, and school
discrimination.
 Gender Discrimination
One of the most common type of discrimination in organizations leveled
against women workers. For instance, according Bureau of Labor and
Employment Statistics released in 2011, the rate of unemployment for
women in 2010 is lower on the average compared to men.

The study showed that women felt discriminated against in terms of

promotion. They perceived that “connections’ or “palakasan system”
was at play for promotions: men who knew people or had connections
with top management officials were the first to received raises or
increase or job levels. Women felt discriminated because they lacked
padrinos (patron) or were not favored by their supervisors (Edralin 2003)
Another common discrimination occurring the organization based
on perceptions and biases on schools. A study conducted by Ortega
– Go, Drilon, and Mier in 2008 on job advertisement for entry –
level managerial positions showed that 37 percent expressed
implicit preference for particular schools tagged as “reputable’ or
prestigious”. Seven percent of these organization mentioned the
“Big 3” schools – Ateneo de Manila University, De Lassale
University, and the Univeersity of the Philippines as preferred with
the occasional addition of the University of Santo Tomas and the
University of Asia Pacific.
 TARDINESS

A survey conducted by the authors among sixty

participants from various industrial, academic,
government, and non – profit organizations showed that
participants observe tardiness as the most prevalent
counterproductive behavior. When asked what
counterproductive behaviors they themselves are doing,
the participants admitted that being tardy at work tops
their list. A common reason cited for tardiness is
commuting and traffic.
 Gossiping
Second in the survey was
gossiping among members
of the organization. This
rooted from the societal
and collectivist nature of
the Filipino, as described
earlier in this chapter.
 Internet use
Ranked third was accessing social networking
sites while working. Though most good consider
this a way of de – stressing during work brakes,
this eats away at company time. When an
employee engrossed in accessing a site, is causes
prolonged breaks. Some employees deliberately
access such social websites even during regular
work hours resulting in lowered productivity.
 Absenteeism
The fourth behavior most prevalent is
absenteeism. This is related to tardiness,
where the employee may need time
away from work to deal with family
affairs or care for young children. The
employees admitted that their reasons for
absenteeism are similar to what they
observe from their officemates.
 Favoritism
The fifth, interestingly, is the occurrence
of favoritism in the workplace. This is
particularly evident when employees
struggle for the same or limited positions
within an organization. By playing
favorites with their bosses, they, at the
very least, become familiar to their
superiors, and at most are considered
during succession planning.
DEALING WITH COUNTERPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR
Respondents in the study shared that the time –
tested process of talking directly to the person
is still the number one choice for correcting
counterproductive behavior this is done by
inviting the erring individual to his or her direct
superiors office, to the Employee Relations
office, or to any higher office as necessary as
an alternative, superiors can talk to the
employee on the spot to rectify the actions.
 Management has the legal right to:
1. Hire employee as a subjected to the limitations found in law,
collective bargaining agreement and general principles of fair
play and justice.
2. Change the working hours of the employees for the
advancement of the employers interest and not for the purpose
of defeating the rights of the employees.
3. Prescribe rules as deemed necessary and proper for the conduct
of its business and to provide certain disciplinary measures
implementing this to assure they will be complied to. If the rules
are violated, then management has the right to discipline its
employees.
4. Transfer or reassign employees provided there is no demotion in
rank or diminution of salary, benefits and other privileges.
5. Demote any employee provided is
not tainted with unfair labor
practice. Employees can be
demoted, but without reduction in
salary due to figure to observe
proper diligence at work, habitual
tardiness and indolence.

6. Dismiss an employee pursuant to

the company rules and
regulations,, this must be done
without abuse of discretion.
 On the other hand, specific right of the employees are:
1. Self organization as mentioned in Article 243 of the labor code;
this right to organize cannot be bargained away and in fact
middle managers can form their own labor organizations as
they fit.
2. Conduct collective bargaining or negotiation with management,
as stipulated in Article 255 of the labor code.
3. Engage is concerted activities, including the right to strike in
accordance with law.
4. Enjoy security of tenure which is a right of paramount value
recognized and guaranteed under the Philippine Constitution.
5. Work under humane conditions.
6. Living wage or the amount of family income needed to provide.
7. Participate in policy decision – making process affecting their
rights to and benefits as may provided by the law.
 Implications
This chapter shed light on various western and Philippine studies
on counterproductive behaviors. It discussed common behaviors
and conceptual differences between the literature: Western studies
have focused more on the individualistic practices of counter –
productivity while Filipino literature has stressed how social and
interpersonal relationships come into play. Philippine studies on
job turnover and burnout, relational aggression, discrimination and
sexual harassment were discussed, and a study conducted by the
authors highlighted the current trends in counterproductive
behaviors. Although it may be impossible to totally eliminate
counterproductive behaviors, there are measures and organizations
may take to decrease and discourage these behaviors.