Nexus Between Personality Factors, Group Norms and Counterproductive Work Behaviour among Employees in Nigerian Universities

Abstract

Counterproductive work behaviour is a negative concept that often harms the organization. Employers are worried about the growing issue of counterproductive work behaviour among employees. In minimizing this behaviour, this study examined personality and group norm as possible factors that could help to reduce counterproductive work behaviour among university employees. Multistage and systematic random sampling techniques were adopted to select 375 participants for the study. Personality Inventory Questionnaire (PIQ), Group Norms Questionnaire (GNQ) and Counterproductive Work Behaviour Questionnaire (CWBQ) were used to collect relevant data for the study. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to screen the data and perform the descriptive analysis while Partial Least Square (PLS-SEM) was used to do the inferential analysis. Findings revealed that employees with high personality factors (agreeableness, consciousness, extraversion and openness) will not engage in counterproductive work behaviour in universities where they work. Similarly, employees with high perceived group norms have tendency to obey the laid down rules and regulations, thus it will refrain them from indulging in negative behaviour. In view of the findings, it can be said that personality factors and group norms are vital concepts that can be used to discourage counterproductive work behaviour in universities. This study recommends that university management should give adequate attention to personality factors and group norms in the selection process during the recruitment exercise. This can be achieved by conducting personality inventory test process, with a view to use the outcome of the test in selecting teaching and non-teaching staff whose values are congruent with university’s rules and regulations screen out those whose values are questionable.

Keywords: Personality factors, Group norms, Employees, Universities, Nigeria