Workplace Deviant Behaviour Among Public Sector Employees: The Roles of Perceived Religiosity and Job Status

Workplace deviant behavior has been linked to a number of organizational losses such as decreased employee morale, increased turnover and loss of legitimacy among important external stakeholders. Therefore, this paper investigated the relationships between religiosity, job status and workplace deviant behavior. Participants consisted of 351 (F=178; Mean age=39.2) employees of the Local Government Service Commission in Nigeria. Data which were sourced through the Workplace Deviant Behavior Scale and Centrality of Religiosity Scale were analyzed using multiple regression. Results revealed that religiosity negatively related to workplace deviant behavior, but no significant difference was found between junior and senior staff in their display of workplace deviant behavior. In addition, both religiosity and job status jointly influenced respondents’ workplace deviant behavior. The findings imply that high religiosity among employees might reduce the risks of deviance and in turn create a better work environment.