Does workplace incivility spur deviant behaviors: roles of interpersonal conflict and organizational climate

Abstract

PurposeBuilding on the conservation of resources theory, this research explored the processes underlying the association between perceived workplace incivility and deviant behaviors. Specifically, we tested a mediating mechanism, an interpersonal conflict that has received less consideration in the workplace incivility literature. The authors also tested the organizational climate (i.e. a resource) as a moderator in the perceived workplace incivility–employees’ deviant work behavior relationship.Design/methodology/approachTime-lagged research design was followed to explain the relationship of variables. Survey data were collected at time 1 and time 2 from 220 service sector working professionals to test the proposed model.FindingsThe findings suggest that intrapersonal conflict partially mediates the workplace incivility–deviant work behavior relationship. Further, the authors found that the harmful effects of workplace incivility on employees’ deviant work behavior attenuate in the presence of organizational climate as a resource. The results shed light on the beneficial consequences of organizational climate on employees’ work behavior by attenuating workplace incivility and mitigating their deviant work behaviors.Originality/valueOverall, the study contributed to understanding the mediating role of interpersonal conflict and the moderating role of organizational climate in explaining the workplace incivility–deviant work behavior relationship.

The effect of interpersonal conflict on employee behaviors: the role of perception of politics and competence uncertainty

“…The results of this study reveal that employees experiencing interpersonal conflict are more prone to engage in interpersonal deviance upholding the Stressor–Emotion model (Fox and Spector, 2015). The results also support earlier studies (Kundi et al , 2023; Kundi and Badar, 2021; Zahid and Nauman, 2023) that found a positive relationship between interpersonal conflict and workplace deviance. Besides, by establishing the mediating role of competence uncertainty, this study supports Thau et al (2007), who state that experiencing interpersonal conflict is perceived as an injustice meted out to them, making their position uncertain within the group and subsequently affecting their work behaviors.…”

“…It explored how interpersonal conflict can trigger both antisocial (interpersonal deviance) and prosocial behavior (prohibitive voice). Second, while there are empirical studies that establish a positive relationship between interpersonal conflict and workplace deviance (Kundi et al , 2023; Kundi and Badar, 2021; Zahid and Nauman, 2023), to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies that examine the mediating process through which both variables are related. By highlighting the role of competence uncertainty, this study contributes to the literature on workplace uncertainty.…”

Work Engagement as the Mediator of the Relationship between Workplace Civility and Workplace Deviant Behaviour among Employees of Tertiary Institutions in Zamfara State

“…A lot of research efforts have been extended towards understanding the antecedents of work deviant behaviour in the workplace. Studies e.g., Jafri, Hafeez, Maeenuddin, & Hamza, 2020;Sowe & Arslan, 2023;Abdullah, Nasruddin, & Mokhtar, 2021;Zahid & Nauman, 2023 have identified incivility as a significant predictor of workplace deviant behaviour. Jafri et al (2020) explored the influence of workplace incivility and organisational injustice on workplace deviant behaviour among managerial level employees from sugar industry District Shaheed Benazirabad (Nawabshah).…”

Perceived Organizational Support in Mediating Organizational Climate and Workplace Conflict Against Workplace Deviant Behavior in Type D Hospitals in Konawe Kepulauan

“…Differences of opinion, tension in the work environment, and different visions between coworkers result in increasingly high levels of employee deviant behavior. Zahid & Nauman, (2023) explain that work conflict increases the influence on deviant behavior in the workplace…”