Abusive Supervision and Workplace Deviance in Nigerian Organisations

This study examined the effect of abusive supervision on workplace deviance among teachingstaff in the nursing school of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH). Specifically,it investigated the impact of abusive supervision on four dimensions of workplace deviance:property deviance, production deviance, personal aggression, and political deviance. The studyadopted a correlational survey research design, with a population of 150 teaching staff fromthe nursing college at UBTH. A structured questionnaire served as the primary researchinstrument, and data were collected through manual administration. The collected data wereanalyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed a significant positiverelationship between abusive supervision and workplace deviance. Abusive supervision wasshown to increase employees' likelihood of damaging or misusing organizational resources (B= .072, p = .008). A strong positive effect was observed between abusive supervision andproduction deviance (B = .108, p = .000), indicating that employees under abusive supervisiontend to reduce productivity and engage in inefficient work practices. The study also found asignificant association between abusive supervision and personal aggression (B = .095, p =.004), demonstrating that abusive supervision contributes to hostile and aggressive behaviortoward colleagues. Furthermore, the results showed a significant positive impact of abusivesupervision on political deviance (B = .138, p = .000), suggesting that employees experiencingabusive supervision are more likely to engage in manipulative and self-serving behaviors. Thestudy highlights the pervasive impact of abusive supervision on various forms of workplacedeviance, emphasising the urgent need for supportive and respectful leadership practices tofoster a positive organizational climate and enhance employee well-being and performance. Tomitigate the effects of abusive supervision on workplace deviance, several recommendationsare made.