Relationship Between Work Stress and Deviant Workplace Behaviour Among Contract Bank Employees in Lagos State
Chapter One
Objective of the study
The following objectives were determined;
- To establish the relationship between work stress and deviant workplace behaviours among contract bank employees in Lagos state
- To deduce a theoretical framework that could be used to effectively address workplace deviant behaviours in the Nigerian banking industry.
- To find out whether stress of contract bank employee reduce job satisfaction and increases deviant workplace behavior in the banking sector
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
This segment of the paper elaborates on a few theories related to work stress and provides definitions for the concepts of work stress and workplace deviant behaviours. Moreover, it reviews existing body of work on the relationship between work stress and workplace deviant behaviours in the Nigerian banking industry.
Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI)
Theory This theory lays prominence on the stressful characteristics of the work contract. The theory is founded on the understanding of mutual benefit or social reciprocity, a basic norm of every type of transaction characterised by some form of harmony (Siegrist, 2010). Social reciprocity is about distinctive duties, which are discharged in exchange for suitable rewards. These rewards could be promotion, esteem, job security and/or money (Siegrist, 2010). Unsuccessful reciprocity such as high costs and low gain, result in highly adverse reactions, such as workplace deviant behaviour (Siegrist, 2010)
General Strain Theory (GST)
The rudimentary view of this theory is that, individuals in the workplace who are recurrently anxious and experience stress are frequently angry and are likely to behave indecently. Stressors and strains are linked with employees’ states of emotion because of their work situation (Hart & Cooper, 2001). General strain theory focuses on factors of strain, for instance, loss of valued possessions and the inability to achieve goals. GST is a theory that accurately describes employee deviance behaviours, such as corporate crime, suicide and bullying (Agnew, 2006). Agnew (2006) postulated that the GST claims that strains increases the possibility of engaging in workplace deviant behaviours.
Person-Environment Fit Theory
Dewe et al. (2012, p. 28) allude to the fact that it is pertinent to “begin with the notion of explaining the word ‘fit’ itself”. In the work stress literature, the concept of fit is characterised as possessing two mechanisms, namely the extent of match, equivalence between the loads of work that confront individuals at their places of work, and their capabilities to meet these workloads (Dewe et al., 2012). Put differently, PE fit theory assumes that there will be high strain because of a disparity between an individual’s needs and what they face in the workplace (Dewe et al., 2012). The key fundamental claim of the P-E fit theory is the expectation of parity between employees’ wants and what they eventually receive, together with equating capabilities (skills) and demands that employees face (Dewe et al., 2012; Yang et al., 2008). Possible outcomes of misfits, identified include reduced commitment to the organisation, absenteeism, more turnover intentions, as well as job dissatisfaction. The general strain theory as stated above, will be applied to the present investigation, as strains are related to employees’ emotional states, which are influenced by their work situations. Furthermore, the present research will like to investigate the supposition of Agnew (2006), who suggested that the general strain theory claims that strains increases the likelihood of workers engaging in workplace deviant behaviours within their work places. This will be done by investigating the relationship between work stress and workplace deviant behaviours, through a survey research method. However, the following sections review the concepts of work stress and workplace deviant behaviours. From their own viewpoint, Spector and Fox (2002) (also cited in Karimi & Alipour, 2011) noted that work stress is increasing globally in countries, organisations, lines of work, among employers, employees, families and society. Spector (2002) also reveals that work stress is a severe health problem for employees and organisations. Therefore, work stress could be seen as health problem workers experience in the instance of their incapability and/or work overload within their various work places (Karimi & Alipour, 2011). Several scholars have tried to define the construct of work stress. However, stress happens when the observed pressure surpasses one’s observed coping capacity (Lawless & Allan, 2004). According to Lehrer (2005), several international agencies, for example, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) are tackling issues, which surround work stress. Furthermore, Ipsen and Jensen (2010) noted that work stress is a popular occurrence. The World Health Organisation indicates that over 50% of workers in industrialised nations have protested owing to workplace stress. According to Denmark’s National Institute for Public Health, around 44% of the Danish population has encountered stress (cited in Helweg-Larsen, Andersen, Nielsen & Madsen, 2003). The issue of job-related stress is multidimensional and can influence individuals, organisations and society; the problem of work stress is also costly (Cooper, Dewe & O’Driscoll, 2001). In his study Owen (2006 cited in Karimi & Alipour, 2011), maintains that stressful conditions in organisations produce work stress, which ultimately leads to adverse effects on both employees and employers. Hence, stress at work would have unwanted consequences, for instance, like absenteeism and loss of productivity (Karimi & Alipour, 2011). Also, work stress is said to bring about lower productivity, and general forms of deviant behaviours in the workplace (Levin-Epstein, 2002). It is impossible to come up with the correct and exact estimate of the price of experiencing workplace deviant behaviour, mainly when quite a lot of forms is present, namely corporate fraud, revenge, employee theft, violence, bullying, withholding job efforts, and the measures employed to avoid or correct them. Examples of workplace deviant behaviours include negative behaviours towards organisations (theft, absenteeism, aggression, sabotage, violence, exerting little work effort and lateness) and behaviours towards individuals, for instance, arguing, making jest of others, and acting rudely (Kidwell & Martin, 2004). According to Appelbaum et al. (2007), there has been emphasis on unwanted behaviours, which may be classified as deviant, for instance, absenteeism, withholding efforts, withdrawal, and behaviours that result in corporate inequality. Therefore, the researcher combined several workplace deviant behaviours into a specific structure.
Chapter Three
Research methodology
Research Design
The research design adopted in this research work is the survey research design which involves the usage of self-designed questionnaire in the collection of data. Under the survey research design, primary data of this study will be collected from first bank in Lagos state in order to determine the relationship between work stress and deviant workplace behavior among contract bank employees. The design was chosen because it enables the researcher to collect data without manipulation of any variables of interest in the study. The design also provides opportunity for equal chance of participation in the study for respondents.
Population of Study
The population of study is the census of all items or a subject that possess the characteristics or that have the knowledge of the phenomenon that is being studied (Asiaka, 1991). It also means the aggregate people from which the sample is to be drawn.
Population is sometimes referred to as the universe. The population of this research study will be Seventy-five (75) staffs of first bank in Lagos state
Sample Size and Sampling Techniques
The researcher made use of stratified sampling technique because all the members have the same probability of occurrence. The researcher narrowed down the samples to staffs of first bank in Lagos state in order to determine the relationship between work stress and deviant workplace behavior among contract bank employees.
In this study, the researcher used the [TARO YAMANE FORMULA] to determine the sample size.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter is about the analysis and presentation of data collected from the field through questionnaire. The analysis of the data with particular question immediately followed by the presentation of findings.
As mentioned in chapter three, 75 questionnaires were administered and 50 were retrieved and necessary analysis was carried out on them and presented as follows:
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain relationship between work stress and deviant workplace behavior among contract bank employees in Lagos state. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of work stress and deviant workplace behavior among contract bank employees in Lagos state
Summary
This study was on relationship between work stress and deviant workplace behavior among contract bank employees in Lagos state. Three objectives were raised which included: To establish the relationship between work stress and deviant workplace behaviours among contract bank employees in Lagos state, to deduce a theoretical framework that could be used to effectively address workplace deviant behaviours in the Nigerian banking industry and to find out whether stress of contract bank employee reduce job satisfaction and increases deviant workplace behavior in the banking sector. The total population for the study is 75 staffs of first bank. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
The study has found that job satisfaction plays a crucial role in decreasing deviant workplace behavior. Accordingly, when employees are stressed, this may increase their satisfaction level, so they will be more likely to involve in deviant behavior and when employees are less stressed, they will be satisfied so they will be less likely to involve in deviant behavior. Further, it has been demonstrated that the major stress factors that are likely to push employees to deviant behavior are work overload and this is a job related stress factor; the work to family conflict as a non-related job stress factor. The findings clearly showed that there is a significant positive impact of work overload on deviant workplace behavior which means employees who suffer from work overload and pressure in their jobs, such as having too much work to do are more likely to engage in deviant behavior.
Recommendation
Work stress is a famous phenomenon in the Nigerian banking industry, experienced by most Nigerian employees. Specifically, bankers become stressed because of the quantity of time they spend in their individual banks, and this influences their performance. Moreover, the present study has established that work stress, which implies discomfort that occurs when employees perceive that their capabilities are not enough to deal with their workloads and the demanding circumstances at work, and could hence trigger deviant behaviours amongst staff in the Nigerian banking industry. Therefore, the Nigerian banking industry should deliver detailed information sessions about the concept of work stress to its employees, including how regular it is in the banking industry. This will further generate awareness amongst employees and inspire them to manage their work or tasks more effectively. Also, a flexible work structure could be introduced to enable bank employees to utilise more convenient times and schedules to perform their duties. Furthermore, a training session where capacity is built, and where strategies that effectively manage work stress, should be provided to explain how to work effectively, as well as reduce stress in the workplace. This will significantly reduce employees’ engagement in workplace deviant behaviours, and effectively enhance good employment relations in the Nigerian banking industry.
References
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