Workplace theft is the act of stealing company property or assets. It is an act of dishonesty, but not all thieves are motivated by greed. In some cases, employees steal to retaliate against their employer for a perceived injustice.Even though workplace theft is illegal and punishable by law, it still happens at a high rate in today’s society. Many employees see a little pilfering as a perk of the job: a way of topping up a salary or helping cut costs at home. Others end up taking things home accidentally maybe after a day away from the office for business purposes – pens are a common casualty.
With a new YouGov survey revealing that 38% of Brits have stolen pens and pencils, 7% toilet paper and 5% mugs from their workplace, mental health expert Christopher Paul Jones reveals why we steal from our jobs, and how to deal with coworkers with sticky fingers – the right way.
Why do people steal?
“Taking small items from work is often driven by the need to feel safe and secure, and can help someone to feel some control if they feel they don’t have it in another area of their life. In a way, taking these items is not that dissimilar to when people hoard things, with people surrounding themselves with material possessions to create a sense of security.”
By stealing a person is able to regain some amount of control, even if it is covert, as they are able to make an active choice and control what they want to take and when, choosing what benefits them as opposed to others.
If they have money worries a person may feel the drive to take things, even if they’re trivial or have no value, to boost their self-esteem by reinforcing their sense of self capability and survival.
They may also take these items to supplement their income, such as the 7% of Brits that have stolen toilet paper from work to cut costs.
For some, stealing can be about power – perhaps they have felt wronged by their boss or feel powerless in an area of their life. Stealing something can almost be an act of silent revenge, creating a financial impact on a company that may have passed them over for a promotion or creating an inconvenience for a staff member that was rude.
However, according to Christopher, even if stealing creates these feelings of power, security or control they are often only temporary and don’t deal with the deeper issues that are fuelling the theft:
“By stealing a person is just sticking a plaster over something that is going on much deeper inside them. More often than not, stealing is a signal that there is something happening on an emotional level that the person is avoiding but needs to deal with. Usually once this is addressed, the desire to steal is dealt with.”
What should I do if I notice a colleague stealing?
If you notice a colleague stealing, take them aside privately and let them know you have noticed what they’re doing and are wondering if everything is okay. It’s important to not let the person feel told off or spoken down to as, chances are, there is a reason for their theft.
Be sympathetic and let them know that you are there for them if they want or need to speak about anything, making a conscious effort to be supportive.
By recognising and addressing this behaviour, you can put your colleague back in the driver’s seat and help them address the underlying emotions fuelling the need to steal.
When should I be worried?
If you notice your or a colleague taking things regularly, or the habit escalating to taking high-ticket items such as money, laptops or even the personal possessions of other colleagues it’s time to step in, (if you haven’t already) or get help.
Either speak to your colleague, letting them know you are growing concerned about their behaviour, or speak to a friend or family member about your own habit.
Sometimes just speaking about the issue can be what is needed as stealing can be a form of attention seeking and a call for help, especially when the stealing escalates and becomes harder to hide.
Depending on the items stolen you may have to take your concerns higher up, but always speak to the concerned party first as there may be a way to handle the situation without needing to resort to these measures e.g. returning stolen equipment or buying stationary to replace what you/they have taken.
Helping yourself or a work colleague address the underlying reasons can be vital to recovering from this habit, so look into support options such as therapy or financial support that can help you or your colleague with whatever is fuelling the need to steal.
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