Gift 3: Understanding counterproductive work behavior with Hogan

Our third study gift for your organization draws on Hogan Assessments’ research into counterproductive work behavior. It reveals how specific Hogan derailers connect to specific behaviors—like inappropriate verbal actions. Curious what shows up where? Let’s take a closer look.

This study set out to answer a simple but powerful question:

• Are different “dark-side” personality traits linked to different kinds of counterproductive behavior at work?

The answer is yes—and the details matter.

Counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs): types

Traditionally, research has lumped counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) together into one big category. But in real life, not all CWBs look the same or create the same level of risk.

The researchers used a very fine-grained model that breaks CWBs into 11 specific types, including:

• Misusing time and resources
• Withholding effort or producing poor-quality work
• Unsafe behavior
• Poor attendance
• Inappropriate verbal or physical actions
• Alcohol use at work-related events
• Misuse of information

Instead of asking, “Who is risky?”, the study asked: “Who is risky in what way?”

That distinction is what makes this research especially useful for organizations.

Why the Hogan Development Survey (HDS)?

The Hogan Development Survey looks at personality traits that tend to show up under stress, pressure, or when people stop self-monitoring. These aren’t clinical disorders—they’re everyday derailers that most people have to some degree.

What makes HDS particularly relevant here is that CWBs often happen:

• When people feel frustrated or overlooked
• When accountability is low
• When stress is high
• When no one is watching closely

In other words, exactly the conditions where dark-side traits are most likely to emerge.

What did they found?

Leisurely scale

Leisurely emerged as the strongest and most consistent predictor across multiple CWBs. People higher on Leisurely are often described as cooperative on the surface, but quietly resentful

In this study, higher Leisurely scores were linked to:

• Misuse of information
• Misuse of time and resources
• Poor attendance
• Poor work quality

When frustration builds, these individuals are less likely to confront issues directly—and more likely to disengage quietly or “get even” in subtle ways.

Mischievous scale

Mischievous reflects impulsivity, charm, and a willingness to bend rules. In this study, it was most clearly linked to:

• Misuse of time and resources

Not theft. Not sabotage. But testing boundaries—especially when structure or oversight is weak. People high on Mischievous may treat rules as optional, particularly around time, expenses, or priorities.

Colorful scale

Colorful individuals are expressive, engaging, and attention-oriented. That energy can be a strength—but it also came with a specific risk. Colorful was one of the strongest predictors of:

• Alcohol use

This likely reflects the social nature of alcohol-related behaviors rather than addiction or misconduct per se.

Skeptical scale

Skeptical—marked by distrust and sensitivity to others’ motives—showed a clear relationship with:

• Poor work quality

When people assume bad intent from others, motivation and care can drop quickly. It’s about disengagement driven by suspicion and defensiveness.

Reserved scale

Reserved individuals are often quiet, detached, and emotionally distant under pressure. Interestingly, they weren’t linked to disruptive behaviors—but they were linked to:

• Unsafe behavior

This may reflect disengagement from group norms or a lack of attention to shared responsibility. Silence and withdrawal can matter just as much as overt misconduct.

What about the scales Dutiful and Cautious?

Not all dark-side traits increased risk. In fact:

• Cautious was linked to less inappropriate physical behavior
• Dutiful was linked to less inappropriate verbal behavior

People who are careful, rule-conscious, or concerned about authority tend to monitor themselves more closely.

What didn’t show up?

Interestingly, the study did not find strong links between HDS traits and:

• Theft
• Property destruction
• Drug use

These behaviors are more extreme and often illegal. The authors suggest that predicting them may require more severe or clinical personality factors, beyond what HDS is designed to measure.

This reinforces an important point: HDS is best at predicting everyday derailment, not extreme criminal behavior.

Your Personality Guides

References:

Muller, L., Winterberg, C., Hall, D., & Boudreaux, M. (2024, April). Dark personality predicts dark behavior: Linking HDS scales to specific counterproductive work behaviors. Poster presented at the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.