Can peer pressure help prevent worker dishonesty?

Most of us would concede that peer pressure plays an important role in our everyday lives. We've also heard about the problems peer pressure can cause when it comes to committing crimes. Our past studies on teenage shoplifting show that peer pressure often plays a primary role. We see evidence of peer pressure with illegal drug use. Peer pressure is also known to influence people freed from prison, especially when they return to the "old" neighborhood and renew old associations.

But peer pressure may also be that "untapped" resource so desperately needed to assist in reducing the dishonesty within many companies.

Our research studies on employee dishonesty revealed that an effective strategy for controlling internal dishonesty was to openly discuss the problem and involve employees in "problem-solving" discussion groups. Two examples tend to support our findings:

* About two years ago, we conducted a survey of more than 600 retail employees across the country and found that 96% believed they have a personal responsibility for preventing co-worker dishonesty.

* A survey conducted by the Kansas City-based Padgett Thompson training company showed that employees ranked the importance of their "being in on things" (involvement) second in importance only to an "appreciation for work done" (recognition).

Think about it! The majority of employees are honest people, and think it's their responsibility to prevent co-worker dishonesty. And our research shows that when employees discuss topics of mutual concern, they develope a more open relationship not only between each other, but between employees and management.

Remember that it's extremely difficult to deal with a problem unless you are aware it exists and know how to correct it.

Unfortunately, we also found that less than 20% of those interviewed knew how they could help prevent worker dishonesty.

So we must make our personnel aware that a problem exists and reach a consensus on how the problems are best corrected. In planning your problem-solving sessions, select a lead-off discussion question that sets the stage for showing a serious problem exists and that you need your employees' input to correct it.

You may wish to consider a question such as, "What are the main causes of inventory shrinkage in this location?" Follow-up session questions may focus on responses from the initial discussion question or you may wish to introduce something that focuses on the potential problems of internal theft. Here you may quote general statistics on employee theft, then ask the group to name some of the things that are necessary in order to maintain or develop a strong climate of honesty within your company.

Peer pressure can be more effective in a small group. When eight people are having an open discussion, and seven of them are honest, the eighth is more likely to get the kind of message that will keep that person on the right side of the fence.

When closing your discussions, ask the group something like "Do you find the ways suggested acceptable?" Get each participant to commit by answering out loud. Peer pressure is a powerful motivator. Use it effectively to increase the climate of honesty within your stores.

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COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group