These are the characteristics of people most likely to cut corners at work
Peter O'Connor, Queensland University of Technology and Peter Karl Jonason, Western Sydney UniversityIn a newly published study, we found that employees who “cut corners” tend to be morally compromised, low in conscientiousness, self-focused and impulsive. This in addition to the potential for corner-cutting to increase risks.
Surveying more than 1,000 Australians and Americans, we found approximately one in four employees regularly cut corners. Men are slightly more likely to cut corners than women.
Cutting corners at work
Cutting corners is a workplace behaviour characterised by skipping or avoiding steps important to a task, in order to complete the task sooner. Corner-cutting is generally considered an undesirable behaviour, with research linking it to a range of negative outcomes such as low job performance, safety violations and serious injuries.
Although corner-cutting comes with a set of risks, it also comes with a clear possible benefit – cutting corners can possibly lead to greater productivity. Consistent with this, studies have shown that corner-cutting is more likely in jobs characterised by high demands and few resources. It is also more likely in organisations that prioritise efficiency over risks.
However, even in such organisations, corner-cutting is openly discouraged. Mistakes caused by employees cutting corners are typically met with harsh consequences.
To investigate whether corner-cutters can be identified, we surveyed employees from a range of industries including health care, education, hospitality, retail and construction. We looked at several demographic variables and personality traits to determine who is more or less likely to cut corners at work. We focused on both common personality traits (e.g., extraversion, conscientiousness) as well as “darker” personality traits (e.g., Machiavellianism, narcissism).
We didn’t just stop at a questionnaire. We also exposed employees to a hypothetical scenario where they could choose to cut corners or not. We conducted two variations of the study across Australia and the US.
The personality traits of corner-cutters
Across both studies, we found that both common and darker personality traits were associated with corner-cutting. Most significantly, corner-cutters were likely to be low in conscientiousness, low in honesty and high in psychopathy (i.e., impulsive, callous social attitudes). Corner-cutters also scored high in Machiavellianism (i.e., manipulation, self-interest) and narcissism (i.e., grandiosity, pride).
Age and gender were also factors in corner-cutting, such that employees who cut corners at work tended to be younger and male.
But there are also various contexts that play into the decision to cut corners. While a third of employees cut corners when it would likely save them time, they were less likely to do so if they could be reprimanded (only one in six employees cut corners in this situation), or if there was the potential for a poor-quality outcome (only one in four cut corners then).
These results paint a seemingly negative picture of workplace corner-cutters as individuals who are generally self-interested and low in conscientiousness. However, it is plausible that employees sometimes cut corners with noble intentions. For example, the related concept of “workarounds” refers to the more accepted behaviour of “clever methods for getting done what the system does not let you do easily”.
To explore this possibility, we investigated whether corner-cutters were more proactive than those who tend not to cut corners. Our results strongly suggested that this was generally not the case.
Proactive employees were not more likely to achieve their goals by cutting corners at work, even when their goal was to save time. In fact, we found that proactive individuals were slightly less likely to cut corners at work than non-proactive individuals.
We also found little relation between corner-cutting and career success. There was no relationship between corner-cutting and income. However, it was associated with higher income for those who scored high in psychopathy.
This indicates that while corner-cutting generally does not relate to career success, it can result in career benefits for impulsive, self-focused individuals. These individuals are likely to cut corners as a strategy to be more productive, despite possible costs to the organisation or co-workers.
Implications for managers
Overall, we found that corner-cutting is not a desirable workplace behaviour. Those most likely to cut corners are likely to be poor performers aiming to meet minimimal standards in contrast to good performers looking to excel. The possible exception is individuals high in psychopathy looking for short-cuts to get ahead.
Clearly, it makes sense to minimise the number of employees with corner-cutting tendencies. This is particularly true for jobs in which mistakes caused by cutting corners can lead to serious injury (e.g., jobs in mining, construction). At the very least, we suggest employers take into account certain characteristics of applicants (e.g., conscientiousness, psychopathy) when selecting for such positions.
Peter O'Connor, Senior Lecturer, Business and Management, Queensland University of Technology and Peter Karl Jonason, Senior Lecturer in Personality or Individual Differences, Western Sydney University
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Jobs Just For You, The HR Professional
Our weekly or daily email bulletins are guaranteed to contain only fresh employment opportunities
Latest Jobs
APS4 - APS6 Recruitment Advisors
Australian Capital Territory
P&C Advisor
Victoria
HR Business Partner - ER
New South Wales
VPS5 Senior People Partner
Victoria
VPS5 Senior TA Partner - Contract
Victoria
RD Writer - Contract
New South Wales
VPS4 HR Business Partner - Contract
Victoria
Rostering Officer - Contract
New South Wales
Workplace Relations Advisor
New South Wales
HR Advisor
Western Australia
A06 HR Business Partner - Contract
Queensland
Employee Relations Manager
New South Wales
HR Business Partner - Contract
Western Australia
HR Manager (Part-Time) - Permanent
Victoria
Internal Recruitment Advisor - Contract
Queensland
Senior HR Generalist - Contract
Queensland
HR Administrator - Contract
Queensland
HR Advisor
Queensland
HR Manager
Victoria
RTW Coordinator
New South Wales
Benefits & HR Administrator - Contract
New South Wales
Workforce Rostering Coordinator
New South Wales
HR Advisor
Queensland
HR Business Partner - 2 year fixed term
New South Wales
High Volume Recruiter - Contract
Western Australia
Quality & Safety Advisor
Queensland
A05 Instructional Designer - Contract
Queensland
People & Culture Manager
Tasmania
IR Specialist - Contract
Victoria
Head of HR (flexible, 4 day week)
Victoria
L&D Practitioner
Victoria
Strategic HR Business Partner
Victoria
HR Advisor
Western Australia
Employee Relations Specialist
Western Australia
Senior HR Advisor
Queensland
Junior P&C Business Partner - Contract - FT or PT
New South Wales
Talent Acquisition Manager
New South Wales
HR Admin - Contract
Victoria
APS6 Claims Management Group, Bulk Round
Australian Capital Territory
Employee Relations Specialist
New South Wales
HR Admin/HR Coordinator
Victoria
APS6 Claims Management Group, Bulk Round
Victoria
APS5 Claims Management Group, Bulk Round
Victoria
APS5 Claims Management Group, Bulk Round
Australian Capital Territory
Workforce Planning Senior Analyst
New South Wales
HRIS Analyst
Western Australia
Human Resource Manager
Australian Capital Territory
HR Advisor - Contract
New South Wales
HSEQ Advisor
New South Wales
Senior HSE Advisor - Contract
New South Wales
L&D Adviser - Contract
New South Wales
WHS Manager
Western Australia
HR Business Partner
Queensland
HR Business Partner
New South Wales
VPS4 P&C Business Partner - Contract
Victoria
People and Culture Advisor - Contract
Queensland
HR Manager
New South Wales
Injury Recovery Consultant
Victoria
Operations Officer (focus on HR activities)
New South Wales
HR Business Partner - Contract
New South Wales
Senior H&S Advisor
Queensland
Senior HR Business Partner - Contract
Victoria
A04 HR Officer - Contract
Queensland
A05 HR Advisor - Contract
Queensland
HR Officer - Contract
New South Wales
HR Admin - PT Contract
Victoria
OHS Compliance Advisor (VPS5 Specialist)
Victoria
L&D Coordinator - PT Contract
New South Wales
APS6 Senior L&D Advisor - Contract
Queensland
HSE Supervisor
Tasmania
6 Month HR Project Role - Contract
Tasmania
(Senior) HR Advisor (HRBP Level)
New South Wales
HR & Talent Coordinator / Advisor
Queensland