Why security cameras don’t stop employee theft

UQ Business School visiting academic Professor Jerry Greenberg argues it’s the behaviour of managers that most directly influences employee theft.

Professor Greenberg said traditional approaches to reducing theft, including surveillance, removing opportunities to steal, or attempting to screen out the ‘bad apples’ when recruiting, were usually much less effective than addressing the social processes that facilitate theft.

“The two most powerful influences on employee behaviour, including stealing, are the beliefs and practices of the work group itself and the behaviour of managers and management,” he said.

Greenberg’s research identifies some dramatic examples of work groups promoting, developing, and perpetuating sometimes elaborate schemes of theft.

“An early study of British dockworkers showed a very methodical approach to theft in which receivers falsified paperwork, forklift operators stacked crates to obstruct the view of managers, and lookouts were posted.”

Greenberg said work group norms were difficult to address because the simple solution – rotating group membership – could impair the development of desirable group norms.

So what kind of management behaviour can impact employee theft?

Greenberg’s findings suggest some managers turn a blind eye to theft – or even actively condone it – while some theft is a response by employees to perceived injustice in the workplace.

“Train managers to send very clear messages about the acceptability of theft, and address the management behaviours and processes that lead to perceptions of unfairness and my research suggests theft will decrease,” he said.

Greenberg said theft could be an active response to perceived unfairness in the way employees are paid or rewarded, they way they are treated day to day, or the way internal processes are seen to operate.

Professor Jerry Greenberg will speak on the subject of employee theft on Monday August 1, from 12.30pm at UQ Business School Downtown, Level 19, Central Plaza One. For details phone (07) 3346 7111.

Media: For more information contact Professor Jerry Greenberg, Visiting Professor, UQ Business School Phone (07) 3365 6698 or (07) 3858 8040 or Cathy Stacey Phone (07) 3365 6179, Mobile 0434 074 372.