Bee: Counter Productive Work Behavior

In analyzing Bee Movie (2007), several constructs in Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychology emerge including teamwork, motivation to work, job satisfaction and counter productive work behavior. Although teamwork is represented in the whole bee community, motivation and job satisfaction are individualized to the main character Barry B. Benson, who engages in counter productive work behavior in an effort to achieve job satisfaction.

Description of Movie

Barry Benson is a honeybee that has just graduated from college and is about to enter the honey-making workforce with his fellow bees. Initially, Barry is excited to join the industry but upon discovering that his job choice will never change, he sets out to find a more satisfying life. When

Counter Productive Work Behavior According to Landy and Conte (2007), counterproductive work behavior (CWB) is voluntary behavior that violates significant organizational norms and threatens the well-being of the organization, its members, or both (p. 154). At its root, Barry explicitly does this by going against the norm of working in the honey field and engages in all three forms of CWB. First, Barry is dishonest to his family and friends about what he is doing and where he is going when he leaves the hive. Although dishonesty is dishonest communications with customers, co-workers, or management, Barry’s friends and family do fill these roles based on the nature of the bee community. Second, Barry engages in absenteeism by not reporting to his job, or even picking a job in the first place. This absenteeism is the first CWB Barry engages in and is distinctly addressed by his co-worker and best friend. However, Barry ignores that his behavior is counter productive and continues on his

However, the director glorifies the counter productive work behaviors of Barry and by doing so, suggests that independence and the happiness of the individual outweighs the productivity and efficiency of the organization.

In analysis, it does seem the director understood subjective experience of work because job satisfaction remained the sole motivator for Barry throughout the film. Additionally, the director does an amazing job of highlighting teamwork by showing the viewer the extensive process in which honey is made. The construct of motivation is highlighted in helping the viewer understand why Barry desires to do more than a single job for his entire life.

On the other hand, the counter productive work behaviors exhibited by Barry were not addressed but were present. The director attempted to address absenteeism but did not place strong emphasis on dishonesty or sabotage.

Although the film was good, it could have been better if the director had given more attention to Barry’s counter productive work behaviors and even noted that not all individuals desire to be different. Instead, the director aligned with many Hollywood films in the idea that the individual desires always outshine the needs of the