Normative controls and self-reported counterproductive behaviors in the workplace in China

Counterproductive behaviors (CPBs) are employee deviant behaviors that violate the norms and values of organisations, and bring harm to both the company and its employees. This paper examined how negative reactions as a normative control from other employees may reduce CPB. It was hypothesised that perceived formal normative control (i.e. supervisor's reactions towards CPB) and perceived informal normative control (i.e. colleagues' reactions towards CPB) mediated the effect of the number of staff at the workplace on the prevalence of CPB. One hundred and fifty-five employees participated in this self-report questionnaire study. Results showed that supervisor's formal normative control significantly mediated the effect of staff size at the workplace on CPB, but the mediating effect was not found for colleagues' informal normative control.