Employee Integrity is More Than Theft and Dishonesty: Development of the Employee Multidimensional Integrity Index

Renee L Seebohm

Integrity in the workplace has been the subject of many reviews in the management and business ethics literature, however, there appears to be limited research on employee integrity. Integrity tests are often used in the recruitment process to screen for applicant propensity toward dishonesty and counterproductive workplace behaviours (Cullen & Sackett, 2004; Ones et al., 1993). However, due to the lack agreement regarding the definition of employee integrity, available tests are not based on an evidence-based construct of integrity. In view of this, the purpose of this thesis was to develop an integrity measure based on the concept of employee integrity. To do this, a thematic analysis of recruiter and manager’s perspectives was conducted, identifying employee integrity as a multidimensional construct, which was then used to develop the Employee Multidimensional Integrity Index (EMII). The EMII was found to be a valid and reliable measure with two scales. The Personal Integrity scale – consisting of five subscales - assesses the individual’s personal perceptions of integrity, including their attitudes and values toward others in the workplace. The Organisation Integrity scale consists of four subscales and assesses the individual’s attitudes and behaviours toward the organisation; the EMII provides several benefits over existing integrity tests. For example, unlike existing integrity tests the EMII does not elicit responses pertaining to potentially illegal behaviours, increasing the likelihood of honest responses. The EMII is also less likely to screen out applicants with traits, such as non-conformity, which can be advantageous in preventing harm if there are unsafe organisational policies and procedures (Applebaum et al., 2007; Vadera et al., 2013). Overall, this thesis contributes to our understanding of employee integrity, laying the groundwork for future research to help improve recruitment and selection processes.

Employee Integrity is More Than Theft and Dishonesty: Development of the Employee Multidimensional Integrity Index

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