Want to stand up to your boss? Drink coffee

A recent study, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, suggests coffee as a way to resist succumbing to unethical pressures in the workplace.

Regardless of the strength of their convictions, employees have a hard time standing up to their bosses and co-workers when they are fatigued. So it should come as no surprise that a recent study, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, suggests coffee as a way to resist succumbing to unethical pressures in the workplace.

Is coffee a means to better professional ethics? Researchers at the University of Washington, the University of Arizona and the University of North Carolina looked into the possibility that a cup of java might help sleep-deprived employees control their behavior and resist pressure.

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"Our research shows that sleep deprivation contributes to unethical behavior at work by making you more susceptible to social influences, such as a boss who tells you to do something deceptive or unethical," said Michael Christian, a professor at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, in a release from the study's authors. "Caffeine can help you resist by strengthening your self-control and willpower when you're exhausted."