Interpersonal Workplace Deviance Research Articles

Abusive supervision and workplace deviance: the role of negative reciprocity

PurposeThis study aims to explore the process that, from abusive supervision, leads to the different kinds of workplace deviant behaviors, using the norm of negative reciprocity as the main mechanism that can trigger this process.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on a literature review from organizational behavior and reciprocity fields and builds a theoretical model on the relationship between abusive supervision and workplace deviance within organizations.FindingsThis study develops a theoretical model where abusive supervision causes a feeling of injustice, which can motivate employees to seek revenge in the form of workplace deviant behaviors. Moreover, negative direct balanced reciprocity will moderate the relationship between the desire for revenge and minor interpersonal workplace deviance; negative direct non-balanced reciprocity will moderate the relationship between the desire for revenge and severe interpersonal workplace deviance; negative generalized balanced reciprocity will moderate the relationship between the desire for revenge and minor organizational workplace deviance; negative generalized non-balanced reciprocity will moderate the relationship between the desire for revenge and severe organizational workplace deviance.Originality/valuePrevious studies have used negative reciprocity as a moderator, but for the first time, it is split in direct and generalized and in balanced and non-balanced. In particular, when direct negative reciprocity is present, the revenge will take the form of interpersonal workplace deviance; when generalized negative reciprocity is present, the revenge will take the form of organizational workplace deviance. On the other side, when balanced reciprocity is present, revenge will take the form of minor workplace deviance, while when non-balanced reciprocity is present, revenge will take the form of severe workplace deviance.

The Relationship Between Tattoos and Employee Workplace Deviance

While those adorned with tattoos have historically belonged to deviant subpopulations, tattoos today are certainly more widespread. With this mainstreaming of tattoos, the question arises whether the deviant stereotype persists and extends to today’s workplace. To address this issue, the present study examined the relationships between tattoos and organizational and interpersonal workplace deviance with a sample of 518 individuals employed in restaurant settings. Whether or not an employee was merely tattooed was not related to either form of deviance. However, greater tattoo number was associated with greater organizational deviance. In addition, the results suggest that being adorned with “darker” tattoos was related to both types of deviance, although the effect sizes were not large. The significant findings held even after controlling for the employees’ agreeableness and conscientiousness.

Diversity Management Efforts as an Ethical Responsibility: How Employees’ Perceptions of an Organizational Integration and Learning Approach to Diversity Affect Employee Behavior

This paper integrates the inclusion and organizational ethics literatures to examine the relationship between employees’ perceptions of an organizational integration and learning approach to diversity and two employee outcomes: organizational citizenship behavior toward the organization and interpersonal workplace deviance. Findings across two field studies from the USA and Germany show that employees’ perceptions of an organizational integration and learning approach to diversity are positively related to perceived organizational ethical virtue. Perceived organizational ethical virtue further transmits the effect of employees’ perceptions of an organizational integration and learning approach to diversity on both organizational citizenship behavior toward the organization and interpersonal workplace deviance. In addition, we find support for a moderated indirect effect model whereby the indirect effect of the perceived integration and learning approach to diversity on the dependent variables through perceived organizational ethical virtue is stronger when employees have high personal value for diversity rather than low personal value for diversity. These results underscore the importance of having a fit between employees’ perceptions of an organization’s approach to diversity and employees’ personal value for diversity in order for inclusion to result in positive employee behaviors. Results emphasize the ethical responsibility of organizations in terms of how they approach diversity.

Do I Fit In? Perceptions of Organizational Fit as a Resource in the Workplace Stress Process

A large number of research studies in the stress literature over the previous 20 years have examined how organizational demands influence experienced stress; however, little research has examined how perceptions of organizational fit influence experienced stress and the stress process. In the present study, we use the conservation of resources (COR) theory to examine how perceptions of hindrance stressors, challenge stressors, and organizational fit (i.e., a resource) affect employees’ intrapersonal (i.e., job satisfaction and work intensity) and interpersonal (i.e., interpersonal workplace deviance and work-to-family conflict) outcomes through job strain (i.e., job tension) and motivational (i.e., vigor) cognitive stress processes. Results from three samples of data ( nSample 1 = 268, nSample 2 = 259, nSample 3 = 168) largely supported the hypothesized model and suggested that perceptions of organizational fit can be a resource associated with favorable effects on employees’ stress processes. Thus, we contribute to the stress and fit literatures by proposing and demonstrating empirical support for a COR theoretical explanation of why perceptions of organizational fit are a resource for employees. The results are important because they help provide a broader view of the effects of perceptions of organizational fit on employees’ stress processes than offered by prior research and suggest that organizational leaders have the opportunity to help employees manage workplace stress by fostering perceptions of organizational fit. Implications of results for theory and practice, strengths, limitations, and directions for future research are presented.

Gender differences and predictors of workplace deviance behaviour: the role of job stress, job satisfaction and personality on interpersonal and organisational deviance

This study examined the relationship between job satisfaction, job stress and the big five personality traits on organisational and interpersonal workplace deviance among employees of a construction consultancy organisation in Singapore. Gender differences and organisational tenure differences were also analysed. Results suggest that while job stress directly predicted deviance, job satisfaction did not. Extraversion also had a direct effect on workplace deviance and a significant buffering effect on job stress and interpersonal deviance. Overall, males exhibited higher workplace deviance. Those who have worked for over five years in the company exhibited higher scores on organisational deviance but not interpersonal workplace deviance.

HR Systems and Interpersonal Workplace Deviance – A Dynamic Perspective

Despite the assumption that changes in the work environment are likely to impact deviant behaviors, both the dynamic nature of workplace deviance and the role of HRM in explaining such behaviors have been widely neglected. Drawing on longitudinal data from public hospital services, this study examines the linkage between organizational-level changes in HR systems and interpersonal deviance over a five-year period. The results indicate that perceived changes in an organization’s HR system lead to corresponding increases or decreases in interpersonal deviance. This effect is moderated by initial HR system levels and diminishes over time. This study provides valuable insights into the importance of examining both levels and changes in HR systems for understanding when increases and decreases in HR systems are most impactful on deviant behaviors.

Interpersonal workplace deviance: Why do offenders act out? A comparative look on personality and organisational variables.

Interpersonal workplace deviance: Why do offenders act out? A comparative look on personality and organisational variables.