Covering-Up Behaviour in Organizations

Abstract

Workers’ unethical behaviour may stem from a variety of sources. In a recent nationwide study conducted in the US (McShulskis, 1997), almost half of the workers (48 per cent) reported that they responded to job pressures by acting either unethically or illegally. Moreover, 58 per cent had considered doing so at certain times during their employment. Two of the most common types of unethical behaviour are ‘cutting corners’ on quality control (33 per cent) and covering up incidents (30 per cent). ‘Cutting corners’ has to do with the individual worker and his work performance, while covering-up behaviour involves both the individual and his or her co-workers, managers, and subordinates. Covering-up behaviour is commonly perceived as workers intending to hide from supervisors their own or their co-workers’ behavioural or performancerelated wrongdoings, such as, for example, hiding mistakes on the work site. When an employee observes peers behaving unethically he or she might face a dilemma – whether to disclose the misconduct or to cover up (King and Hermodson, 2000). As such, employees will strive to reduce any unfavourable consequences to themselves and to the firm. A high degree of covering-up behaviour in organizations is an indication of an atmosphere of disloyalty, betrayal, or other unethical aspects.