“Crime Scene: Workplace” – Detective Patrick Kurtz in the Zürich Tagesanzeiger

For her comprehensive article in the Zürich Tagesanzeiger on the topic of crime and employee misconduct in the workplace, journalist Denise Jeitziner interviewed private detective Patrick Kurtz, owner of the Kurtz Detective Agency Zurich. A transcript of the article from June 14, 2018, is provided below.

Transcript “Crime Scene: Workplace”

"One in four employees has already stolen in the office, manipulated expenses, tampered with time tracking, or otherwise behaved improperly. However, the misconduct is not due to financial need.

At the cashier, it was two stolen packs of whole-grain crackers and two packs of cold cuts. The cook took a vacuum-packed lettuce, two slices of bread, a Silser roll, and a liter of cream in her handbag. And the executive at the Federal Police falsified longer working hours by cheating when clocking in and out during lunch.

Three examples of workplace misconduct, three immediate terminations that all went to the Federal Court, and the same decision each time: All three employees were rightly dismissed, even though the misconduct might not seem severe. “In cases of theft at the workplace, even a minor amount usually does not affect the legality of immediate dismissal,” explains Roger Rudolph, Professor of Labor and Private Law at the University of Zurich, regarding the recent, stricter practice of the Federal Court. Theft is considered a breach of the trust relationship necessary in working life, regardless of the value of the stolen goods.

Mostly long-term employees

Most of us have stolen something at some point. Of course, not seriously, just small things, nothing worth mentioning. A pen, without ill intent. Occasionally a few folders and a pack of printer paper for home office use. A toilet roll, because one suddenly realized the last sheet was gone in the morning.

The more daring regularly manipulate their expense and time reports, never pay for their cafeteria lunch, and even take more valuable items such as computer monitors and office chairs from inventory. Kurtz Detective Agency Switzerland reports the case of an employee who, on the side, organized parties and concerts and took toilet paper from office supplies. By the time he was caught after more than a year, he had already taken toilet paper worth over ten thousand Swiss francs.

Interestingly, most thefts or fraud are not committed out of financial need or criminal intent. Nor are the usual suspects such as freelancers, cleaning staff, or other external personnel involved: “The majority of offenders are employees themselves,” says Patrick Kurtz, whose detectives in Switzerland handle company assignments in about 20–30% of cases. “Notably, they are often long-term employees who have previously done a good job.”

Frustration leads to misconduct

The Swiss Human Resources Barometer, which regularly surveys employee sentiment in Switzerland, attempted to identify the causes of such misconduct in its previous report. “The likelihood is higher when employees have low trust in their employer,” says project leader Anja Feierabend. Employees who perceive limited opportunities on the job market or cannot openly discuss problems with their boss tend to misbehave more. In short, dissatisfaction at work increases the likelihood of employees acting improperly toward their company.

The employment relationship can be likened to a partnership that begins to falter when demands rise without an increase in pay, recognition is withheld, or promotions are missed—leading to frustration and disappointment. The more engaged and loyal an employee has been, the greater the disappointment, much like in a long-term relationship.

So what does one do when feeling unfairly treated and in a weaker position? One seeks their own form of justice, or at least a small revenge, justifying it quietly with the thought that the company can absorb minor losses and is partly at fault itself. The cook mentioned earlier was annoyed that 180 CHF was deducted from her salary for lunch, which seemed unfairly high. Her boss insisted, so she resorted to “self-justice” by taking the vacuum-packed lettuce.

In today’s world, with increasing workplace demands and employee expectations, it is likely that more individuals will take liberties with company rules.

Anja Feierabend also suspects this. Although overall job satisfaction in Switzerland had improved slightly in the 2016 HR Barometer survey, a detailed analysis shows that one in three employees is only “resignedly satisfied.” This indicates that many employees remain at their jobs but may increasingly engage in workplace misconduct as a conscious or unconscious outlet for their frustration.

A representative GfK study three years ago found that one in four admitted to having taken something at work at least once. Men (28%) did so more often than women (23%) and were less likely to feel guilty. Or they might leave early, not record vacation days, or take care of private matters during work hours. Few companies involve compliance departments or detective agencies for such minor acts. However, for larger amounts, to set an example, or to remove troublesome employees, they certainly do.

Cases are often resolved internally

When Patrick Kurtz and his colleagues are hired, there is usually already a suspicion of who the culprit is, with only the proof missing. Occasionally, there are surprises: Kurtz recounts a case of a restaurant owner who suspected the accountant of diverting money to a private account. “It turned out that the entire staff of about ten people was in on it together.”

How often such offenses occur and the total annual damage to Swiss companies from employee misconduct is not tracked by the Federal Statistical Office. Specific data are also scarce because companies often prefer to handle incidents internally rather than initiate long and costly criminal proceedings.

“I can confirm, however, that such cases repeatedly occupy the courts,” says Professor Rudolph. This may also be due to more companies adopting ethical codes or similar behavioral guidelines and acting more consistently when rules are violated.

One strategy is strict enforcement. The other is to restore the employment relationship. Satisfied employees are far less likely to harm their company than frustrated ones."

Hinweis

The highlights (bold text) and links on this page were added by Kurtz Detective Agency Zurich and Switzerland and do not appear in the original article.

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