New Research Reveals Prevalence of Counter-Productive Behaviors

Among Foodservice Employees, Opportunity for Increasing Company Profits

DALLAS, TX (Aug. 4, 2003) – A virtually unexplored area of increased profit potential for foodservice companies now has been mapped as a result of an unprecedented study by Batrus Hollweg International, a leading resource of assessment and development experts. The research, "Productivity Crimes: Realities, Risks & Profit Potential," documents the prevalence of counter-productive behaviors among employees and provides a model to predict and influence the propensity of job applicants to engage in counter-productive workplace behaviors.

"Foodservice organizations are losing significant revenue and profits due to counter-productive behaviors. Addressing this critical profitability frontier has been difficult due to a lack of measurable data and comprehensive strategies to address the issue," said Lewis Hollweg, Ph.D., chairman and CEO of Batrus Hollweg International. "As more of our clients shared their concerns with us, we conducted unparalleled research to achieve an in-depth understanding of the types and frequency of employee counter-productivity. In addition, we developed a tool that could help companies identify applicants with a high probability of engaging in these types of behaviors. What we learned was fascinating."

The first phase of the study included focus groups with operations and human relations executives as well as with hourly employees and managers. The second phase included a questionnaire completed anonymously by 600 employees.

Eight counter-productive behaviors were identified and measured: product theft, cash theft, food violations, drug/alcohol abuse, unreliability, sexual harassment, anti-diversity, and disrespect for others.

Highlights from the research specific to each of these counter-productive behaviors include:

Product Theft:	27 percent have given food to family and friends and not charged them (not including company discount programs). More than 29 percent take food or drinks from the restaurant and do not pay for it.
Cash Theft:	18 percent have pocketed cash that should have been placed in the cash register. 13 percent accepted cash from co-workers that should have been placed into the cash register. 14 percent have taken tips that were not theirs. On a weekly basis, 5 percent steal $5; another 2.6 percent steal $10-15 and 1.3 percent steal more than $20.
Food Violations:	44 percent knowingly ignored rules regarding the handling of food. 12 percent intentionally contaminated food they prepared or served to a customer. 10 percent knowingly served a customer contaminated or spoiled food. 31 percent knowingly served a customer improperly or poorly prepared food. 13 percent sabotaged the work of other employees.
Alcohol/Drug Abuse:	24 percent took illegal drugs just before coming to work. 7 percent drank alcohol just before coming to work. 52 percent came to work hung-over from alcohol and 28 percent came to work hung over from drugs.
Sexual Harassment:	25 percent said they pinched or grabbed co-workers of the opposite sex. 38 percent have commented on co-workers' bodies (i.e., breasts, buttocks, etc.). 40.2 percent have commented on customers' bodies (i.e., breast, buttocks, etc.). 15.6 percent have stared at a body part of a co-worker to the extent that they noticed. 12.8 percent have stared at a body part of a customer to the extent that they noticed. 40 percent said supervisors made comments about them that were sexually inappropriate and more than 50 percent said co-workers made similar comments. 40 percent said that co-workers touched them in a sexually inappropriate way.
Anti-Diversity:	21 percent gave poor service to a customer because they did not like their race. 7 percent avoided helping a co-worker because they did not like their race. 18 percent made fun of co-workers or customers based on their race. 18 percent made fun of co-workers or customers based on their gender. 39 percent made fun of co-workers based on their physical looks. 37 percent made fun of a co-worker or customer based on their accent or speech.
Disrespect for Others:	22 percent called a co-worker an insulting name. 14 percent got back at a co-worker who had offended them. 19 percent argued in anger with a supervisor and 11 percent argued with a customer. 30 percent make points at work by being sarcastic at someone else's expense.
Unreliability:	44 percent said they had not shown up for a scheduled shift at work. 23 percent quit a job while in the middle of a shift. 22 percent left before their shift was scheduled to end without telling their manager/supervisor. 38 percent held a job for less than 30 days (excluding temporary jobs). 41 percent did not complete work assigned to them because they knew co-workers would pick up the slack. 26 percent said they were late for work.

"We found moderate to strong correlations between all the counter-productive behaviors. If an individual participates in one form of counter-productive behavior, he or she is likely to engage in other forms," said Hollweg. "Left unchecked, these counter-productive behaviors not only have a direct impact on profitability, but they also can impact negatively the work environment, driving away honest, responsible and productive employees, which ultimately impacts customers."

Preventing these types of behaviors requires careful assessment and targeted action plans. Batrus Hollweg has developed tools to make it easier for companies to reduce or eliminate counter-productive behaviors.

"To respond to client requests, we developed two solutions: the SAFE™ (Security Assessment for Employees) assessment tool and a model for influencing productivity of employees," said Linda Pharr, president and chief operating officer of Batrus Hollweg.

"First, the SAFE™ tool provides an objective, consistent and effective way for companies to avoid hiring the counter-productive employees," said Pharr.

"Second, our productivity model helps companies assess and address the workplace environmental factors that trigger counter-productivity among existing employees. In most workplaces, employees fall within three groups: on one end of the spectrum there's a small group who are almost always productive company citizens; on the other end of the spectrum there's another small group who are almost always counter-productive; and in the middle there's a larger group of employees who are sometimes productive and sometimes counter-productive. This larger middle group is an important one to focus on because their behavior can be influenced by their perception of being treated fairly and respectfully as well as having an opportunity for advancement. Having a system to objectively and consistently assess company culture and address issues that interfere with individual, team and organizational performance is critical. Batrus Hollweg works with companies to develop and implement these systems," said Pharr.

Additional information about the "Productivity Crimes: Realities, Risks & Profit Potential" research, the SAFE™ assessment tool, workplace productivity model and corporate culture surveys can be obtained by calling (469) 241-9701.

Founded in 1969, Batrus Hollweg International partners with organizations to achieve growth and increase profitability through customized, cost-effective systems to select & develop the best talent, tap organizational energy and focus teams on business results.