Bite the hand feed America's fastest growing crime
To be honest. Do you have work stolen? To a small "petty cash" here and there? Fabrication of your time card? Padded expense report? Time in the company and individuals to run errands? Xerox copy of manufacturing the same time, from your shoulders? Then these additional envelopes, staples, paper clips and the children you brought home? If so, you are not alone. U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimated that nearly 75% of employees steal their workplaces and most people so repeatedly. I am one of them.
Last year, Janice Fernworn, 45-year-old suburban Detroit church of her treasurer. In recent years, more than 700,000 yuan she corruption. She is no other addiction history. She is married with five children. Fernworn said she's corruption began, she and her husband down in their mortgage payment after 3 months. "I still remember the first time I wrote a check himself, is not legitimate," she said. "My hands shook so bad I could not manage to write. I think I have exhausted all other possibilities. I do not know when to ease corruption transferred from the real needs of convenience needs, but it does not take into account long-term in such a big hole that I can face it better. "She was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Why Loss Prevention professional care?
Most people have heard only recently leaked Wal-Mart revealed on loss prevention budget cuts and key small shop theft and shoplifting and employee theft professional less trend.
In 2005 I published my second book, "bite the hand feeds: popular employee theft … new ideas, new understanding" (Infinity Publishing). I also organized and at the first international conference, and theft of addiction disease introduced in Detroit. Over the past 10 years, I advise clients indulge in shoplifting. Although the "high buy addiction" has gradually found wider acceptance and understanding, the FBI recently called employee theft "the fastest-growing U.S. crimes." More and more, I treat those who struggle with chronic employee theft, and with employers seek to understand and reduce this phenomenon consultation.
The employer has 20 U.S. companies earn a dollar a% of each lost employee theft – 53.6 billion U.S. dollars a year the report of the American society. 55% of the perpetrators of the highest level of position and the average length of time one can be arrested for 18 months. In the United States Chamber of Commerce estimated that one third of all bankruptcies direct result of employee theft. The Boston Globe published in the September 2005 article that the U.S. has lost "time theft", in which employees falsified time cards, $ 759 per year more than 1 billion long rest stop on the Internet or mobile phones, to run personal run errands in the company of the time, even if the search for new employment opportunities, but in its current work.
Our job is hard work, we need a healthy and transparent environment. I was in a 7-year clinical chemistry reliance on consultants, and is responsible for the Director 2. Even in the "sensitive Felli, said:" Our professional world, in the workplace can feel a toxic fish tank. We all come to work emotional trauma and problems. We will play our family drama, dysfunction, and licensing issues in the workplace. Employee theft may be a help, a phone crying that this shows that some deeper is wrong. However, we rarely find, but found that what it is.
Many loss prevention workers as to prevent "professional pickpocket" obsession, and may have a tendency to simplify, why do people steal or employee theft. Many people do not care why people can not steal. We often assume people steal to support a potential for addiction, it will stop when a "get sober." This is not always the case. For many people, a theft or a drug. Many people have been in denial or too ashamed to seek help. Many people still think that only the moral, legal or financial theft. "Just keep working the steps", that many people have heard and tried. Specialized treatment may be necessary, but there are some books, a small support group, and who in dealing with theft, including theft of a number of specialized staff therapist.
Is difficult to imagine the many complex factors and motivation is to promote the work of people stealing? The pressure of job security will continue to decline, and work harder, faster, and to compensate for increased less. We have created resentment, mistrust, disloyalty climate, and even harassment. Majority of the staff are most concerned about a lack of appreciation and understanding. "They owe me," How much sense. Sometimes, and Janet Fernworn, external events or issues as a catalyst. Employee theft usually begins in a very short period of time. Most people do not even think it is theft. The next thing you know, a star employee is leading in handcuffs.
A larger social problem?
Millions of employees and employee theft issues are ignored or untreated, or who may be helped. If the client lost his job because of workplace theft, treatment is usually a slam the brakes. Shame and judge who is facing the unthinkable. People with criminal records, especially theft crimes, to find decent employment will face great obstacles to bring. These are no jobs there is no hope: drug addiction, crime and self-harm often follow.
Traditionally, most companies simply fire any employee who steals. Although this is a choice, it does not address the following questions: Why do so many people steal, and whether there are other ways to prevent and treat theft? Other factors to consider include: Who is at risk of losing is not easy to find a replacement staff costs; lost his chance of rehabilitation, support and participation in the prevention of loss of aid; and problems passed on to future employers. Most companies have some employees on the sensitivity of drug, alcohol and gambling problems. You can miss work, lying, doing good, and even harassment of colleagues, but to "steal, you go!" Why is theft, a kind of sacred cows have been so many it anyway? "Thou shalt not steal" deep-rooted.
We need progress in education, prevention, treatment, and employee theft. I encourage better management skills and morale of the strategy. I suggest that the company hold regular meetings to facilitate, ideally, by a neutral, external consultants, to air grievances, apologized and expressed his appreciation and gratitude "to keep the tank clean." I propose to provide confidential advice should be open to any who may have a theft. I have said little about the most concerned about who's better than stopping to investigate theft of the employer.
I interviewed two human resources director and a loss prevention team leader of the national chain restaurants a few years ago. They told me their company in the "situation:" When an employee is found to the overall look has been stolen from the company. They advance in the understanding of many employees stealing packages may become infected. Typically, these employees were on the "internal beta", and counseling on. This is a counseling or a new methodology effective? It is not yet but at least it is a progressive-minded thinking, to sign long-term results. The company seems happy to have the lowest staff turnover rates in the industry one.
Recently one of my clients is a furniture store assistant manager in the country. He is married and has two young twin daughters, has a MBA degree, and live in a nice suburb. He has a long history of shoplifting, employee theft, to see people's car after the break through to arrest me. If ever a man crying for help, he is. He stole my theory is that his response had been harassed as a child, and later, the wounds in his early 20s one held up at gunpoint mainly. He's borders and security has been violated, he again suffered from the infringement of the limits of the perpetrator's point of view of experience. He stole, in essence call for help.
In our work together, he also attended the meeting Kasha (Cleptomaniacs and pickpockets anonymous) meetings. I gradually got involved in the treatment of his wife and her partners have become more parents, his rebel further. He reported to work feeling taken advantage of his boss and colleagues led to the abuse of feelings, he, as tackling a crime. His former wife and his therapist asked him to resign his job. They fear he would be fired, or worse, be prosecuted. I share their concerns, but my customers will worry about no money, nor for his time – which shows the structure of trouble.
Instead, I created a contract, he began to practice my self-confidence at work at home (and), and also take steps to finally start his own lawn and garden business, he had in the back. It is noteworthy that in 6 months, he left work, landscaping work more than he can handle. His self-esteem and confidence blossom. He greatly improved the relationship with his wife. His journey to well-being, but he continued to use the right treatment and support progress.
Another client is the accounting officer of a retirement center. Her from her corruption in the same position, but the previous payment of $ 50,000.00 has managed over time, the secret did not come back before it is facing left. She has recently diverted from her current work $ 40,000.00, realized that she lost control, and seek help. Her husband knows, and admits he is enabled to save her stealing money from her own first. This time, the edge in divorce, they know they need a different approach. Through our joint efforts, we found that she spent almost all the money she stole her husband. She did not feel worthy of his love and fear that he would leave her like her mother in her 3 years old. And important questions remain, she secretly pay their own time and money the value of this study has not overcompensating at work or in her own marriage.
I have employee theft in 2006 annual financial managers meeting in Michigan, but also worried about theft of addiction, and barriers in the San Fernando Valley, California, the monthly staff meeting aid workers in Kentucky CPA annual meeting in 2007. More and more people from different industries are aware, we need to think outside the box about theft.
I hope I helped clarify this issue, some light employee theft. There are more than meet the eye. This is a new area of theory and treatment. We need to be prepared to see our own dishonesty, and to explore these issues with our customers. My hope is that we at the forefront together to create healthy individuals, families, organizations and society.