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Helping and Antisocial Behavior in the Workplace

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  • Kosfeld, Michael
  • Haylock, Michael
  • Kampkötter, Patrick
  • Von Siemens, Ferdinand

Abstract

We offer a comprehensive analysis of the organizational and behavioral foundations of employees’ helping and antisocial behavior as an integral part of a firm’s workplace culture and working climate. Using representative employer-employee panel data of larger German private-sector firms, we document a large variation in helping and antisocial behavior across firms. Our regression results show that differences in supervisors’ people skills, as well as workforce trust, social preferences, and personality traits explain these firm-level differences in helping and antisocial behavior in the workplace. Our measures are derived from established survey constructs and include preference items that have been behaviorally validated in experimental games by prior research. Together, the results corroborate the importance of both leadership quality and workforce composition for the manifestation of helpful and hostile workplace cultures.

Suggested Citation

  • Kosfeld, Michael & Haylock, Michael & Kampkötter, Patrick & Von Siemens, Ferdinand, 2023. "Helping and Antisocial Behavior in the Workplace," CEPR Discussion Papers 18154, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:18154
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Helping; antisocial behavior;

    JEL classification:

    • D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • M21 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics - - - Business Economics
    • M50 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - General

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