Nearly seven in 10 workers admit to ignoring workplace safety rules, and their behaviour is contagious, according to the authors of an Australian study.
The SACS Consulting study of more than 1000 workers, released today, also found three in four (73%) workers have taken sick days when they're not unwell, 88 per cent have broken their employers' "rules", and 55 per cent have taken "property" from their workplace.
Some 87 per cent of workers admitted to ignoring or snubbing colleagues they didn't like, and 67 per cent have been intentionally rude to co-workers. More than half (56%) of employees have left jobs because they didn't get along with others at work.
Such counter-productive behaviour negatively affects employers, with one US study finding it cost that country's businesses a total of $200 billion a year in lost productivity, SACS managing director Andrew Marty says.
"But, it's not just a financial or productivity problem, these behaviours can also negatively impact workplace culture and create significant OHS risks," he says.
"Bad behaviour at work is contagious. When employees begin to do these things they spread throughout a workplace and can become part of the corporate culture.
"They also tend to stifle out good behaviours among other staff such as helping or advocating on behalf of the organisation."
Avoid hiring badly behaved workers
According to the study, employers can identify "potentially toxic employees" by using personality and value assessments during the recruitment process.
It says employers can predict future bad behaviour with 45 per cent accuracy using such assessments, compared to only 10 to 15 per cent accuracy in a regular job interview.
"This new approach can help employers to manage the impact of bad behaviour in the workplace including OHS risks, bullying, staff turnover and diminished productivity," the study says.
It notes that workers are less likely to behave badly at work if they are sociable, modest, fair, forgiving, gentle, diligent and organised.
The best predictor, however, is conformity.
"The value of conformity does not suggest sheepish following of the orders of superiors, in this case it suggests a respect for the rules of organisations and social groups which the person belongs to."
