Discussion 1: Withdrawal Behaviors

Consider the absenteeism of two typical employees. Jerrald has been with Gadgetron Inc. for 2 years. He believed that he had outgrown his job and was ready for a promotion. He applied for a position that would have been a promotion, but instead Gadgetron hired someone from outside the company. Following this perceived rejection, Jerrald began taking long lunches and spending more work time on social media sites and personal phone calls. Jerrald’s colleagues have noticed his withdrawal behavior. Their behavior has also changed as a result, some aligning with Jerrald in their engagement in personal activities during work time, while others have distanced themselves from Jerrald and those around him. His supervisors have raised issue with him individually and collectively with the team, to no avail. They are currently considering next steps for the group. How does the withdrawal of one employee impact a team or even an organization? 

Withdrawal consists of behaviors that reduce the amount of time working to less than is required by the organization. Jerrald’s withdrawal behaviors resulted from his specific feelings about advancement in the organization; however, resulting withdrawal behaviors and feelings of dissatisfaction can easily spread to others in an organization.

In this Discussion, you will look at withdrawal behaviors and their impact on the organization, as well as strategies to address them.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Read the article “An Empirical Study Analyzing Job Productivity in Toxic Workplace Environments.” Consider how toxic environments and burnout can result in employee withdrawal behaviors. Think about the types of workplace characteristics that make up a toxic environment and how they could be addressed.
• Read the article “A Meta-Analysis of the Interrelationships Between Employee Lateness, Absenteeism, and Turnover: Implications for Models of Withdrawal Behavior.” Reflect on the progression of withdrawal model and how organizations can intervene to stop the progression. 
• Read the article “Disentangling the Relationship Between Implicit Aggressiveness and Counterproductive Work Behaviors: The Role of Job Attitudes.” Consider how aggressive employee behavior can result in counterproductive work behavior such as withdrawal. Consider how these behaviors can happen implicitly, without the employees being fully aware of them, and how that can affect attitudes.
• Read the article “Surveying the Forest: A Meta‐Analysis, Moderator Investigation, and Future‐Oriented Discussion of the Antecedents of Voluntary Employee Turnover.” Think about how predictors of withdrawal behaviors might be context specific and how that changes the assessment of them.

Note: Do not use the examples provided above in your Discussion post.

By Day 3

Post a response to the following:  

Provide an example of withdrawal behavior, using behaviors described in the Learning Resources, and explain the impact it can have on the individual, immediate coworkers, and the organization. Are there any specific cultural characteristics or leadership strategies in a workplace that can reduce withdrawal behaviors? Explain. Use your example in your explanation.