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Workplace deviance and personality
Author
Goh, Kay Hee
Supervisor
Tay-Koay, Siew Luan
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between workplace deviance and personality. The objective of this study was to discover the factors that may be related to workplace deviance. This study was built on the conceptual framework that personality factors (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) and situational factors (workload, interpersonal conflict at work, organizational constraints, perceived organizational support, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment) functioned as direct determinants of workplace deviance.
The participants in this study comprised 230 male and female production operators from a multinational manufacturing company. Using stratified selection, they were chosen from two departments, which had granted the author permission to collect data from their employees. Nine standardized instruments that measured workplace deviance, personality factors and situational factors were used in this study. The questionnaires were administered over three days. Statistical analyses using correlation and multiple regression methods were computed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), version 11.
Research Question 1 examined the factors that were related to workplace deviance. Results found significant positive correlations between workplace deviance and the factors of neuroticism, workload, interpersonal conflict at work, and organizational constraints. Significant negative correlations were found between workplace deviance and the factors of agreeableness, conscientiousness, perceived organizational support, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. This study showed that there were relationships between workplace deviance and personality factors. Research Question 2 examined the factors that predicted workplace deviance. Results found that three factors predicted interpersonal deviance, namely, interpersonal conflict at work, organizational constraints, and agreeableness. Overall, these factors accounted for 28% of the explained variance. In addition, four factors predicted organizational deviance, namely, agreeableness, interpersonal conflict at work, conscientiousness, and organizational constraints. Overall, these factors accounted for 24% of the explained variance. Results also found that four factors predicted total deviance, namely, agreeableness, interpersonal conflict at work, conscientiousness, and organizational constraints. Overall, these factors accounted for 31% of the explained variance.
The results of this research have implications on how organizations could better manage their workforce, such as improvement in personnel selection, workplace conditions, and employees’ interpersonal skills, and call for greater organizational support for workers. Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are suggested: inclusion of psychological assessments for selection of the right candidates; reevaluation of the work conditions; improvement to the interpersonal relationships of employees; reduction of organization constraints; and improvement of employees’ perception of the organizational support. It is hoped that with this knowledge, organizations in Singapore may be able to cope with workplace deviance more effectively and, ultimately, raise the standard and quality of working life in our society.
The participants in this study comprised 230 male and female production operators from a multinational manufacturing company. Using stratified selection, they were chosen from two departments, which had granted the author permission to collect data from their employees. Nine standardized instruments that measured workplace deviance, personality factors and situational factors were used in this study. The questionnaires were administered over three days. Statistical analyses using correlation and multiple regression methods were computed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), version 11.
Research Question 1 examined the factors that were related to workplace deviance. Results found significant positive correlations between workplace deviance and the factors of neuroticism, workload, interpersonal conflict at work, and organizational constraints. Significant negative correlations were found between workplace deviance and the factors of agreeableness, conscientiousness, perceived organizational support, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. This study showed that there were relationships between workplace deviance and personality factors. Research Question 2 examined the factors that predicted workplace deviance. Results found that three factors predicted interpersonal deviance, namely, interpersonal conflict at work, organizational constraints, and agreeableness. Overall, these factors accounted for 28% of the explained variance. In addition, four factors predicted organizational deviance, namely, agreeableness, interpersonal conflict at work, conscientiousness, and organizational constraints. Overall, these factors accounted for 24% of the explained variance. Results also found that four factors predicted total deviance, namely, agreeableness, interpersonal conflict at work, conscientiousness, and organizational constraints. Overall, these factors accounted for 31% of the explained variance.
The results of this research have implications on how organizations could better manage their workforce, such as improvement in personnel selection, workplace conditions, and employees’ interpersonal skills, and call for greater organizational support for workers. Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are suggested: inclusion of psychological assessments for selection of the right candidates; reevaluation of the work conditions; improvement to the interpersonal relationships of employees; reduction of organization constraints; and improvement of employees’ perception of the organizational support. It is hoped that with this knowledge, organizations in Singapore may be able to cope with workplace deviance more effectively and, ultimately, raise the standard and quality of working life in our society.
Date Issued
2006
Call Number
HF5548.8 Goh
Date Submitted
2006