Perceived organizational climate and employee counterproductivity

In this study, we replicated and extended the research of Hollinger and Clark (1983) on the prevalence and correlates of employee counterproductivity. Two separate employee groups completed an expanded version ofReid Survey III. Roughly one-third of subjects admitted to employee theft. Separate scales measuring perceived attitudes of management, of supervisors, of coworkers, and of employees themselves regarding theft all intercorrelated positively, supporting the concept of a pervasive organizational theft climate. Further, these climate measures were related to subjects' self-reported on-the-job theft. Parallel results were obtained for employee substance abuse. Implications for controlling employee counterproductivity are discussed.