Using exit surveys to assess counterproductive work behaviors: A case study

Counterproductive work behaviors are notoriously diffi cult to measure in applied settings. As a result, many organizations are unable to reliably evaluate the frequency and antecedents of these behaviors. Exit surveys provide a unique opportunity for measuring potentially sensitive organizational issues but have yet to be widely adopted for measuring counterproductive work behaviors. The present paper describes a case study in which an exit survey was designed to study counterproductive work behaviors in a large telecommunications company. The results of this study suggest that a similar methodology may be benefi cial for other organizations looking to better understand and manage these potentially damaging behaviors.