For "the greater good" : exposing the parodhy of necessary evil -- examplars from organizational life

Many forms of workplace adversity exist: bullying, mobbing, violence, harassment, incivility, wrongdoing, misbehaviour, and other forms of organizational misconduct and mistreatment (Delbecq, 2001; Frost, 1999, 2003; Hamilton and Sanders, 1999; Hutchinson et al., 2005, 2006a, 2006b; Leather et al., 1998; Vickers, 2010). Toxic leaders, followers, and organizational environments have all been identified (Frost, 1999, 2003; Padilla, Hogan, and Kaiser, 2007), and, unfortunately, such violations in organizational life are frequent. I intend to draw attention to another recognized form of evil in organizations: "necessary evil." I intend to demonstrate the parody that is created when organizations say one thing and do another, especially when the harm they actually do is purported to be "for the greater good." It is acknowledged that organizations can normalize negative behaviours, such as bullying, violence, and corruption, so, over time, these negative behaviours and outcomes become embedded in that organization or community, taken for granted, and perpetuated (Ashforth and Anand, 2003; Staub, 1999; Vickers, 2010). As a result of being normalized, such negative behaviours are likely to increase and the need for support for workers being violated is likely to increase. When a genuine need for support exists and is neglected, workers experience alienation, burnout, and withdrawal; employers are seen to be engaging in management rhetoric rather than genuine dialogue and action in response to employees' often-valid concerns (Arthur, 2004; Herriot, 2001). This is especially painful when the organization claims to support workers in need, via advertised policy and process, and yet many of these same organizational responses become harmful to those seeking help (Hoque and Noon, 2004; Jewson et al., 1990, 1992, 1995; Vickers, 2006a, 2010; Vickers and Kouzmin, 2001). In this chapter, I outline some ideas and definitions regarding what is currently understood about the notion of evil. I then explore three espoused sources of support in organizations in terms of their enactment as potential exemplars of necessary evil in organizations. I show how treating organizational support processes as necessary evils creates a parody of the support process, enhancing the sense of betrayal for recipients and framing the negative outcomes as being enacted for the greater good.