Businesses looking to stay out of headlines for cheating and other unethical behavior may want to push for ethical standards within their institutions.
Demanding high performance by employees without emphasizing the need to follow a code of ethics encourages cheating in the workplace, according to a study led by professors from the 女仆AV, University of Georgia, Arizona State University, and University of Nebraska-Kearney.
鈥淎ssuring employees that their supervisors will reward hard work鈥攏ot cheating鈥攎ay dissuade workers from breaking the rules to get ahead,鈥� said , professor of business ethics at UCF鈥檚 College of Business.
Ambrose and colleague Robert Folger partnered with researchers from the other universities to publish their findings in the Journal of Applied Psychology in December.
The study said 鈥渁s organizations place a strong emphasis on high levels of performance, they may also enhance employees鈥� self-interested motives and need for self-protection. 鈥� Employees [then] experience anger and heightened self-serving cognitions, which motivate cheating behavior.鈥�
On other words, if performance demands are too high, employees may feel like they need to do anything to meet goals so they don鈥檛 lose their jobs.
鈥淓mployers need to be thoughtful about the goals they set for employees and how these goals are presented and managed,鈥� Ambrose said. 鈥淗igh performance standards have benefits, but our work suggests the standards must be challenging, not threatening.鈥�
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