Productive and Counterproductive Behavior - Assignment Example

Productive and Counterproductive Behavior Productive behavior is defined by Jex (2002), as “behavior that contributes positively to organizational goals and objectives,” and is determined by looking at an individual’s motivation to perform above and beyond their minimum job description, their innovation, and their overall job performance (p. 87). As an example, a hospital could have the organizational goal of providing excellent patient care and a satisfying experience during hospital visits to its patients.

Productive behavior by nursing staff would include making patients’ visits more comfortable by controlling pain after surgery, ensuring that appropriate food items are provided for meals, and accurately administering ordered medications in a timely manner. Conversely, Jex (2002) defines counterproductive behavior in organizational psychology as “behavior that explicitly runs counter to the goals of the organization” (p. 146). Counterproductive behavior is specifically determined by examining “ineffective job performance, absenteeism, turnover, and accidents” (p. 146). Using the above example of a hospital as an organization and nursing staff as the employee(s) in questions, counterproductive behavior would include actions such as inadequate pain control through late or missing pain medication administrations, choosing to ignore a patient’s dietary preferences (whether religious or medically driven), because it takes the nurse more time and effort to order a special diet, and administering ordered medications late, in an incorrect manner, or failing to administer them at all.

ReferencesJex, Steve M. (2002). Organizational Psychology: A Scientist-Practitioner Approach. John Wiley and Sons: New York. Available from http://books.google.com/books?id=uWnoIICUSdoC&dq=Organizational+Psychology:+A+Scientist-Practitioner+Approach+%28Google+eBook%29&source=gbs_navlinks_s