Vangent Research Report

A new research report issued by Vangent, Inc., a leading provider of results-oriented human capital and talent management solutions, provides sobering insights into the deviant behavior risks encountered by organizations as job candidates and employees deal with unprecedented economic
hardships. This report details the criticality of identifying, selecting, and promoting a high integrity
workforce, with emphasis on how best to enable this key objective.

Organizational Ethics and Counterproductivity Risks During an Economic Downturn presents three complementary theories that provide a unique look at the forces affecting both organizations and employees. The Vangent Human Capital Ethics Quadrant highlighted in this report illustrates over 36 types of unethical and counterproductive behaviors that yield negative outcomes for organizations. Risks cited range from petty theft, to more serious theft of customer data and personal identities, to corporate fraud and embezzlement and regulatory compliance breaches. This report also contrasts the differences between high and low integrity organizational structures, and offers useful perspectives on mitigating the risk of unethical workplace behavior, particularly during a turbulent economy.

Specific research highlighted in the report shows that monetary theft has increased during the economic downturn by 18% (22% of larger organizations) according to The Institute for Corporate Productivity, Workplace Theft Pulse survey (November, 2008). Ethics risk concerns are also at an extremely high leveló85% of compliance and business ethics professionals who were respondents to the Healthcare Compliance Association & the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics survey (2009) indicated that the current economy either ìgreatlyî or ìsomewhatî increases the risk of compliance and ethics failures.

ìThe evidence is compellingóthe risk of improper and unethical behavior is clearly heightened during a severe economic downturn, and this should be of significant concern to Human Resources, Risk Management Professionals and Executive Leadership,î stated David Fabianski, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Vangentís Human Capital business. ìFurthermore, this risk spans all levels of the organization and a wide range of counterproductive behaviors. Itís important to recognize the seriousness of this matter and take appropriate actions to minimize the risks and exposure. We trust this research report offers sound and actionable advice.î