The dark side? Fun in the workplace and unwanted sexual attention
| Published date | 07 October 2019 |
| Pages | 1162-1182 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-06-2018-0165 |
| Date | 07 October 2019 |
| Author | Michael J. Tews,Kathryn Stafford,Phillip M. Jolly |
| Subject Matter | Hr & organizational behaviour,Industrial/labour relations,Employment law |
The dark side? Fun in the
workplace and unwanted
sexual attention
Michael J. Tews
School of Hospitality Management,
Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
Kathryn Stafford
Department of Human Sciences,
The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA, and
Phillip M. Jolly
School of Hospitality Management,
Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to examine whether fun in the workplace inadvertently leads to
greater incidences of unwanted sexual attention. Specifically, this research examined the relationship between
three dimensions of fun and unwanted sexual attention –fun activities, coworker socializing and manager
support for fun.
Design/methodology/approach –Multiple regression was used to analyze survey data from three
Qualtrics business panels.
Findings –Fun activities were related to greater incidences of unwanted sexual attention, while manager
support for fun was related to fewer instances. With respect to fun activities, mandatory attendance and
holding the activities on nights and weekends were associated with further increased unwanted sexual
attention. The presence of non-employees during activities was associated with fewer incidences.
Research limitations/implications –The data on fun in the workplace and unwanted sexual attention
were obtained at one point in time. Future research would be valuable that obtains data collected at multiple
points in time to more fully substantiate cause-and-effect relationships.
Practical implications –Employers may seek to foster a climate in which managers encourage employees
to have fun on the job as well as one that explicitly focuses on preventing sexual harassment. Curbing
unwanted sexual attention during fun activities may be facilitated by involving non-employees, refraining
from holding activities at night and on weekends and keeping employee participation voluntary.
Originality/value –From the perspective of fun in the workplace, this research has demonstrated fun activities
may have unintended, adverse consequences. From the perspective of sexual harassment, this research has
identified antecedents not typically be considered to be contributing factors of unwanted sexual attention.
Keywords Sexual harassment, Fun in the workplace, Unwanted sexual attention
Paper type Research paper
Fun in the workplace is no passing management fad. Examples persist of companies that
have embraced funas a key component in theirorganizational cultures. Widelyknown for its
innovativeworkplace, Google celebrates AprilFool’s Day each year, allows employeesto play
beach volleyball and ping pong during breaks, and incorporates fun into its office design,
where slides may be used in lieu of stairs (Schmidt and Rosenberg, 2014). Zappos, the
billion-dollar online shoe retailer, embraces “fun and a little weirdness”as one of its core
values and employs a fungineer whose primary responsibility is to bring joy and smiles to
employees (Hsieh,2013). Symphony Communication Services rewards employeesby treating
them to massages,margarita machines, Nerfgun battles, comfortable beanbagsand paintball,
karaoke and go-karting outings (Frost, n.d.). Horizontal Integration, Inc. boasts a conference
room equipped witha flat screen television and WiiSports gaming console, where employees
Employee Relations: The
International Journal
Vol. 41 No. 6, 2019
pp. 1162-1182
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/ER-06-2018-0165
Received 14 June 2018
Revised 12 December 2018
24 January 2019
Accepted 21 February 2019
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0142-5455.htm
1162
ER
41,6
can partakein a quick game of baseball orbowling (Emerson, 2013).The fundamental belief in
companies such as these is that fun can engage employees, enhance productivity and
creativity, reduce stress and promote employee retention. Walt Disney has been credited as
saying, “You do not work for money, you work to havefun and create fun”(Fordet al., 2012).
Validating the popular belief that fun matters, the extant body of research has
established that fun in the workplace leads to a number of favorable outcomes. For example,
Tews and colleagues have demonstrated that fun increases applicant attraction to
organizations (Tews et al., 2012), facilitates informal learning (Tews et al., 2017), increases
job embeddedness (Tews et al., 2015) and reduces employee turnover (Tews et al., 2014).
Moreover, Karl and colleagues provide evidence that fun is positively related to job
satisfaction (Karl and Peluchette, 2006; Peluchette and Karl, 2005) and trust in supervisors
and coworkers (Karl et al., 2005), as well as negatively related to emotional exhaustion
(Karl et al., 2007) and turnover intentions (Karl et al., 2008).
Despite its potential benefits, fun in the workplace can have adverse consequences. Taylor
and Bain (2003) illustrated that supervisor efforts to sponsor fun may be counterproductive,
and Tews et al. (2013) found that fun may have a detrimental impact on employee
performance. In addition, Baptiste (2009) highlighted that individuals could be resistant to
participating in fun because it would “encroach on their already busy schedules”when
confronted with work overload and other job stressors (p. 609). Furthermore, Fleming and
Sturdy (2009) found that some individuals only feigned interest in fun at work, and these
authors argued that fun was not necessarily liberating and empowering for employees.
The overarching goal of the present study is to analyze the extent to which fun in the
workplace may have additional negative consequences by examining its relationship with
unwanted sexual attention, a relationship that has not been fully examined heretofore.
Because fun promotes a more informal and casual workplace, the boundaries of what
constitutes appropriate and inappropriate behavior may become blurred. This research
focuses on the impact of fun on unwanted sexual attention as a form of sexual harassment,
which is comprised of verbal and non-verbal behavior, including repeated unwanted
requests for dates, discussion of sexual matters and inappropriate touching (Gelfand et al.,
1995). Unwanted sexual attention is different from sexual coercion which involves threats
and bribes, either implicit or explicit (Gelfand et al., 1995). While sexual coercion is arguably
more harmful, unwanted sexual attention occurs with greater frequency (McDonald, 2012).
To assess the veracity of the claim that fun in the workplace may contribute to greater
unwanted sexual attention, the present research examines two related issues through two
studies. Study 1 examines the relationship between three dimensions of fun and unwanted
sexual attention –fun activities, coworker socializing and manager support for fun. In turn,
Study 2 focuses specifically on fun activities and contextual factors of fun that may
strengthen or attenuate the relationship between participation in fun activities and unwanted
sexual attention. In particular, Study 2 will address the timing and location of fun activities,
whether participation is mandatory,if alcohol is present, and whethernon-employees, such as
family and friends,are present during fun activities.While fun may in general be beneficial,it
is importantto examine the potential risk of fun and determinehow fun can be incorporated in
organizations to minimize the prevalence of unwanted sexual attention.
Study 1
Sexual harassment, which includes unwanted sexual attention, has long been recognized as
having a deleterious impact on employees and organizations. Willness et al.’s (2007)
meta-analysis demonstrated that increased incidences of sexual harassment are associated
with such outcomes as decreased job satisfaction, lower organizational commitment, greater
work withdrawal and poorer physical and mental health. From a productivity standpoint,
Willness et al. (2007) estimate that organizations lose in excess of $22,000 per case of
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Fun in the
workplace
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