Dear Folks,
Came across this interesting article. Some food for thought for HR pros! Read on.
By JoAnne Allen
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One "bad apple" can spread negative behavior like a virus to bring down officemates or destroy a good team, according to a new study examining conflict in the workplace.
Negative behavior outweighs positive behavior, so a bad apple can spoil the whole barrel, but one or two good workers can't "unspoil" it, researchers at the University of Washington said in the current issue of the journal Research in Organizational Behavior.
"Companies need to move quickly to deal with such problems because the negativity of just one individual is pervasive and destructive and can spread quickly," said co-author Terence Mitchell, a professor of management and organization.
If a bad apple slips through screening in the hiring process, he or she should be placed to work alone as much as possible, the study's lead author, William Felps, said.
The study defines negative workers as those who do not do their fair share of the work, are chronically unhappy and emotionally unstable, or bully or attack others.
Felps said he was inspired to investigate workplace conflict by his wife's experience with a "bad apple" and what happened when the worker was out sick for several days.
"When he was gone my wife said the atmosphere of the office changed dramatically," Felps said. "People started helping each other, playing classical music on their radios, and going out for drinks after work. But when he returned to the office, things returned to the unpleasant way they were."
"He truly was the bad apple that spoiled the barrel," Felps said.
The researchers said they found that a single "toxic" or negative team member can be the catalyst for a group's downward spiral.
In a follow-up study, the researchers found the vast majority of the people they surveyed could identify at least one "bad apple" with whom they had worked and who had produced organizational dysfunction.
Hiring managers could head off the problem by being more thorough when screening potential employees, Felps said. He recommends checking references and administering personality tests to weed out those who are "really low on agreeableness and emotional stability."
From India, Vadodara
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7Came across this interesting article. Some food for thought for HR pros! Read on.
By JoAnne Allen
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One "bad apple" can spread negative behavior like a virus to bring down officemates or destroy a good team, according to a new study examining conflict in the workplace.
Negative behavior outweighs positive behavior, so a bad apple can spoil the whole barrel, but one or two good workers can't "unspoil" it, researchers at the University of Washington said in the current issue of the journal Research in Organizational Behavior.
"Companies need to move quickly to deal with such problems because the negativity of just one individual is pervasive and destructive and can spread quickly," said co-author Terence Mitchell, a professor of management and organization.
If a bad apple slips through screening in the hiring process, he or she should be placed to work alone as much as possible, the study's lead author, William Felps, said.
The study defines negative workers as those who do not do their fair share of the work, are chronically unhappy and emotionally unstable, or bully or attack others.
Felps said he was inspired to investigate workplace conflict by his wife's experience with a "bad apple" and what happened when the worker was out sick for several days.
"When he was gone my wife said the atmosphere of the office changed dramatically," Felps said. "People started helping each other, playing classical music on their radios, and going out for drinks after work. But when he returned to the office, things returned to the unpleasant way they were."
"He truly was the bad apple that spoiled the barrel," Felps said.
The researchers said they found that a single "toxic" or negative team member can be the catalyst for a group's downward spiral.
In a follow-up study, the researchers found the vast majority of the people they surveyed could identify at least one "bad apple" with whom they had worked and who had produced organizational dysfunction.
Hiring managers could head off the problem by being more thorough when screening potential employees, Felps said. He recommends checking references and administering personality tests to weed out those who are "really low on agreeableness and emotional stability."
From India, Vadodara
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perfect same thing was happening in my organistion and had to sack 2 of them coz we found they may spoil every others in the organisation. mahalakshmi HR
From India, Pune
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From India, Pune
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Every office has one troublemaker or bad apple. I know that when good people are surrounded by a troublemaker, they usually feel at risk or in danger. That bad apple intensifies the situation and makes the environment worse.
I want to add one good thing here that many people out there don't know: According to my own research, that bad apple has many features that one should know because bad apples try to deceive others:
1) Bad apples have a complaining nature.
2) They work with conspiracy management.
3) They have a personality disorder.
4) They mock or make fun of others.
5) They usually try to fish in troubled waters.
6) They portray themselves as pictures of sincerity and morality.
7) They always assume about others.
8) They engage in backbiting (especially about seniors).
9) They stab everybody in the back.
10) They have high career aspirations.
11) They can never be faithful to anyone.
Beware of this cannibal, and if anybody wants to deal with this kind of person, drop me a line, and I'll tell you how to flush them out.
AdaMs
From China
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I want to add one good thing here that many people out there don't know: According to my own research, that bad apple has many features that one should know because bad apples try to deceive others:
1) Bad apples have a complaining nature.
2) They work with conspiracy management.
3) They have a personality disorder.
4) They mock or make fun of others.
5) They usually try to fish in troubled waters.
6) They portray themselves as pictures of sincerity and morality.
7) They always assume about others.
8) They engage in backbiting (especially about seniors).
9) They stab everybody in the back.
10) They have high career aspirations.
11) They can never be faithful to anyone.
Beware of this cannibal, and if anybody wants to deal with this kind of person, drop me a line, and I'll tell you how to flush them out.
AdaMs
From China
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Dear Mr. AdaMs, I have been facing a the same problem mentioned in your post. Plz let me know how to deal with such personality.
From India
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From India
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I agree that one bad apple can destroy the whole basket before he or she tries to destroy things, we should expel them from the organization. This is not an isolated case in organizations; it can happen in any place, like college, etc. People of this type try to seek revenge from others. By destroying others, they seek revenge. I believe we should punish them in front of others. If we do this, nobody will dare to attempt such things again.
From India, Pune
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From India, Pune
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