Managing Destructive Workplace Deviance: A Case of Farmworkers in the South African Farming Context

Abstract

The African continent, especially the sub-Saharan region, is lagging behind in terms of addressing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets of the United Nations. Agriculture, especially the farming sector could assist in addressing the problem as it is linked to most of the SDGs. Employees are crucial resources in any organisations, making farmworkers to be key role players in ensuring the success of the farming sector. However, their tendency to engage in negative behaviours may make it impossible for the sector to grow. It is therefore important for the farming sector to devise mechanisms to manage various forms of employees’ negative behaviour to ensure its success. This study was aimed at investigating the managerial strategies that can be implemented to address farmworkers’ destructive deviant behaviours in the South African context. A qualitative approach within the social constructivist epistemology was used. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 39 farmworkers from three selected fruit farms. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the collected data. The findings revealed sixteen themes: close supervision, disciplinary and remedial actions, teamwork and knowledge sharing, compensation management, provision of training, autonomy and creativity, distribution of produces, work re-allocation, performance management, proper placement, revising lunch break, consistency in the application of rules, emotional support and workers’ involvement as well as health and safety management. These possible strategies may not only assist the South African farming sector to curb destructive deviant behaviours, but also in improving the performance and productivity of the farms as well as the well-being of the farmworkers.