Workplace Deviance
Categories: Company Management
Deviant behavior…in the workplace. It covers a wide range of behaviors. Theft, playing around on the internet instead of working, sneaking off with the cell phone to call a psychic hotline, calling out constantly, or really nasty behaviors like vandalism, sabotage, and other such activities. It also includes people who heat up fish in the lounge microwave. That’s just cruel.
Sometimes, deviant behavior is minor, like making a few photocopies of a “Free Kittens” sign, or taking a couple of paper clips…minor things that most employers don’t care about. Other times, it’s the kind of thing that’ll get a person fired…like forging time cards, keying the boss’ car, keeping the company laptop but reporting it as stolen, or utilizing company computing power in an attempt to build Skynet and take over the world.
Deviant behavior is oft driven by employees not satisfied at work, feeling betrayed and underpaid. Or they're just plain bored. People with good job attitudes tend not to engage in workplace deviance.