Measuring counterproductive work behavior in telework settings: development and validation of the counterproductive [tele]work behavior scale (CTwBS)
International Journal of Organizational Analysis
ISSN: 1934-8835
Article publication date: 1 December 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Although (tele)work is increasingly being adopted and employees’ behavior is recognized to be key for organizational outcomes (e.g. performance), the current literature on counterproductive work behaviors (CWB) in telework settings is fragmented, and a valid measurement instrument is lacking. This study aims to address this gap and starts by presenting a review of the current literature on counterproductive work behavior in flexible work arrangements (i.e. telework). Based on this study, eight categories of work behavior that appear to be frequent under telework settings were identified.
Design/Methodology
Next, four studies aimed at developing and validating a measurement instrument that captures employee counterproductive work behavior when teleworking: the counterproductive [tele]work behavior scale (CTwBS).
Findings
In Study 1, the CTwBS was created, and in Study 2, its factorial validity was examined (N = 350). In Study 3, using a sample of teleworkers (N = 289), the convergent and discriminant validity of the CTwBS was tested using self-ratings of (positive and negative) affect, attitudes toward telework and frequency of CWB in general. In Study 4, a daily-diary study across five workdays (N = 232 × 5 = 1,160) examined the criterion validity of the CTwBS.
Practical implications
The results indicated that the CTwBS is a valid and reliable instrument for capturing employee counterproductive work behavior in telework settings. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Originality
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, CTwBS is the first measure aimed at assessing counterproductive work behavior in telework settings.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Since submission of this article, the author Ana Junça Silva is no longer affiliated with Polytechnic Institute of Tomar, CeBER Tomar, Portugal.
Funding: This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, grant UIDB/00315/2020.
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
Compliance of ethical standard statement: All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants involved in the study.
Data availability: The data is available only upon reasonable request to the authors.
Citation
Junça Silva, A. and Martins, S. (2023), "Measuring counterproductive work behavior in telework settings: development and validation of the counterproductive [tele]work behavior scale (CTwBS)", International Journal of Organizational Analysis, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-09-2023-3987
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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