Researchers have found that at least a fifth of workers engage in activities aimed at making their supervisors look less than stellar.

One reason is revenge, a pleasure-seeking desire to see supervisors they don't like embarrassed or punished, said Paul Harvey, a management professor at the University of New Hampshire. Another is "more calculated and goal-oriented." Workers may see bosses as roadblocks to their own advancement.

"In both cases, we think the fact that employees do not typically possess the power to punish their bosses by traditional means causes them to resort to" devious and undermining behaviors, said Harvey, summing up findings of the study of 238 workers, co-authored by Marie Dasborough of the University of Miami.

Undermining techniques included spreading rumors about their bosses or trying to sabotage their work.

"Just under 20 percent of the employees in our sample admitted to engaging in these behaviors at least occasionally," Harvey said. "While this level probably falls short of what we'd call pervasive, it's important to remember that employees typically show a reluctance to admit to these behaviors for fear of reprisal should their supervisors become aware of it."

So what's motivating employees?

Abusive bosses, the study found.

Get it all with convenient home delivery of The News & Observer.