Personality and Motivational Traits As Correlates of Workplace Deviance among Public and Private Sector Employees

Abstract

KEYWORDS Big Five Personality Traits. Organizational Deviance. Interpersonal Deviance. NEO-FFI. Behavioral Activation. Behavioral Inhibition ABSTRACT Deviant behaviors have far reaching effect on the individual and at the organizational level. In spite of clear ethical guidelines, employees indulge in deviant activities. Dispositional variables have been linked with deviant behavior and are also influenced by individual motivation; hence personality and motivational traits were considered. The purpose of the research was to study the Big Five personality traits and motivational traits to explore its relation with workplace deviance among the employ- ees of public and private sector organizations (N = 60). The results showed that public sector employees' significantly differed from the employees of private sector on workplace deviance and openness trait of big five personality traits. Significant correla- tions among some of the dimensions of personality, motivational traits and workplace deviance were obtained. Neuroticism evolved as a major correlate of organizational deviance in both public and private sectors. Motivational traits (BIS, BAS) were correlated significantly to different dimensions of workplace deviance in private sector and not in public sector. It has implications for organizations on how to manage workplace deviance.