Impact of Corporate Sustainability on Counterproductive Work Behavior in China Construction Industry

This study examined how corporate sustainability practices influence counterproductive work behaviors (CWB) in the Chinese construction sector. Corporate sustainability was analyzed through environmental, social, and economic dimensions to understand its multifaceted impact on employee behaviors. A total of 417 responses were collected and analyzed to test the proposed hypotheses. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to evaluate variable factorability, followed by confirmatory factor analysis to validate the measurement model’s reliability and fit. Structural equation modeling was employed to assess the relationships between corporate sustainability and CWB. The findings reveal that comprehensive sustainability efforts can significantly reduce CWB by fostering ethical workplace climates and aligning organizational values with employee expectations. However, in high-pressure contexts like construction, sustainability initiatives may paradoxically increase CWB if perceived as burdensome or poorly managed. Employee responses to sustainability practices were found to vary depending on contextual and relational factors, either enhancing positive behaviors or exacerbating negative ones. These results highlight the importance of integrating ethical leadership, corporate values, and supportive work environments to achieve effective sustainability outcomes. Organizations are encouraged to design sustainability practices that balance employee well-being with organizational objectives, fostering a collaborative and ethically grounded workforce capable of driving long-term success.