Gender Differences in Engagement in Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior—Two Studies in Poland

Abstract

The objective of this article is to present the results of research on the differences in unethical pro-organizational behavior between men and women. Enterprises run the risk of loss of reputation as a result of unethical pro-organizational behavior on the part of their staff. Such behavior also stands in opposition to sustainable enterprise development. However, an employee who engages in this type of behavior may suffer guilt and embarrassment. In the long term, this hinders employee well-being. The correlation between engagement in unethical pro-organizational behavior and the respondents’ gender was examined in two empirical studies. The first one was carried out among full-time employees of companies operating in various sectors in Poland, who were extramural students (N = 786). The second study was conducted half among employees of three large holding companies and half among working students of postgraduate studies (N = 389). The t-Student test was employed in the study. Statistical analysis was performed with the use of the IBM SPSS Amos 25.0.0 software. The theoretical framework of gender socialization theory was employed. The main conclusion is that women are less inclined to display unethical behavior for the sake of an organization than men. This is the first—or one of the first articles—devoted to studying the correlations between unethical pro-organizational behavior and gender. The results of the study can be applied in practice as they support increased participation of women in management as well as in creation and implementation of ethical codes in organizations.