The influence of workplace exclusion and personality on counterproductive work behaviours: An interactionist perspective

The current research examined some of the person and situation factors that contribute to counterproductive work behaviour (CWB). More specifically, this research examined the unique and interactive effects of perceived workplace exclusion and personality, as measured via the NEO-FFI, on two types of CWB: interpersonal and organizational. Participants included 105 employees from a mid-sized Midwestern utility company in the US. All employees completed a Workplace Experiences Survey. As predicted, exclusion via co-workers was related to interpersonal forms of CWB, whereas, exclusion by supervisors was related to organizational CWB. Support was also obtained for several of the predicted interactions between workplace exclusion and personality on CWB such that the relation between exclusion and CWB was strongest for employees whose personality exhibited less behavioural constraint. Results are discussed in terms of their implications, limitations, and directions for future research.