Workplace Crime and Honest Dealing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Workplace Crime and Honest Dealing - Essay Example Staff dishonesty is a crime committed against companies and does not solely consist of theft. Matthew Liew asserts that "crime encompasses exposures to loss from the dishonest acts of people within or outside the company." This may involve money or property of the company. Staff dishonesty could also include other types of misbehaviors such as "rule-breaking, destructive practices, non-cooperative practices, disruptive practices and misuse of facilities" (Challinger 2). One of the most common forms of staff dishonesty is theft. "Employee theft from a retail store is a term that is used when an employee steals merchandise, food, cash, or supplies while on the job" (McGoey). Theft can also be in the form of misusing employee discounts, offering discounted prices to friends, and cheating by reporting incorrect number of hours of work (Adjudicative Desk Reference). It can be assumed that this type of crime can be more damaging to retail companies because the involved persons are part of the organization, are usually trusted, and should be well-informed about the crime prevention measures that the company is adopting (McGoey). Matthew Liew adds that staff dishonesty can be detrimental to the company, especially since it may take a long time before it can be detected. Although employee theft is... Several authors believe that around 50% to 60% of employees in retail companies are guilty of dishonest conduct (Adjudicative Desk Reference). Studies conducted also indicate that staff dishonesty can equate to thousands of dollars in losses. Dennis Challinger notes that employee theft or pilferage, as opposed to other workplace crimes, is easy to measure, translating to around 1.8% of the gross national product in Britain and $40 billion a year in the United States, causing the failure of around 20% of companies in the U.S. (2). According to Kevin Philip, "staff dishonesty could account for up to 60 per cent of business losses" (9). In a separate survey by the University of Florida in 2002, employee theft accounted for disappearance of around 48% of store inventories, translating to $1.5 billion per year. The same survey found that compared to shoplifting, employee theft equated to an average loss of $1,341.02 for each case of theft, while for every shoplifting incident, average dol lar loss was only $207 (McGoey). What is obvious in several studies conducted on the prevalence of workplace dishonesty is that some of those who committed such offense are managers or those in authority. It was reported that in Britain, 8% of managers have been involved in workplace crime (Challinger 3). In a study conducted by Kevin Philip, it was found that dishonest employees in supermarkets include managers, head cashiers, front-end supervisors, cahiers, floor staff and store men. In a study that involved 1,408 retail employees in the Minneapolis area, 60% of those surveyed admitted to having committed an illegal activity, with 57% having been involved in misusing employee discount, while 12% admitted having taken a merchandise without paying for it (Adjudicative