Deviant employee behavior in the eyes of colleagues: the role of organizational support and self-efficacy

The present study investigates the influences of multifocal organizational support in the context of deviant employee behavior by examining the potential associations with employees’ self-efficacy characteristics. The study proposes that perceived multifocal support and self-efficacy have a direct relationship with deviant behavior, and that these two variables interact in their relationship with deviant workplace behavior. Using self- and peer-reported data from 225 academics, hypothesized relationships were investigated using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that two different forms of support (organizational and supervisory) strongly influenced two different forms of deviant behavior (organizational and interpersonal). Whereas perceived organizational support decreases organizationally relevant deviant behavior, supervisory support decreases deviant behavior toward colleagues. The results also showed that high self-efficacy moderates both the negative relationship between organizational support and deviant behavior toward the organization and that between supervisory support and deviant behavior toward colleagues. The study also discusses the implications of these findings for managers, along with recommendations for future research.