The Find: The economic stress has started to get to the American workforce with 28 percent of respondents to a recent survey admitting they would engage in dishonest behavior such as blackmail to keep their jobs.- The Source: A write-up of the latest American Workplace Insights survey from recruitment firm Adecco on UK site Management Issues.
The Takeaway: The economy’s got everyone stressed, and as everyone knows, psychological pressure can lead to bad behavior, but just how far are U.S. workers willing to go? Well past the limits of decency if a new survey by Adecco is to be believed. The workplace portrayed by the research is a brutal one with 28 percent of respondents saying “they would be prepared to do something dishonest to keep their jobs, included blaming co-workers for mistakes, blackmail and even flirting with a superior.”
Which groups were the worst offenders? Those born after 1982 were the most ruthless, with four out of ten admitting they would engage in dishonest behavior to protect their jobs. It’s a statistic that gives a whole new spin to the ‘Gen Y is different’ discussion. And in an example of gender difference that ladies probably won’t quarrel with, men were more likely than women to say they would behave badly to hang on to their jobs, with 44 percent of men aged 18-35 reporting they were prepared to do something dishonest.
The Management Issues article goes into greater detail on the findings and also cites other research that suggests the Adecco survey may not be off base, including a recent study published by the American Psychological Association that asserted eight of ten Americans are now suffering from stress related to the economic meltdown. For those who are interested it makes for fascinating – if slightly disturbing – reading.
