When Politics Turn Toxic: How Crises Intensify Employees’ Withdrawal and Misconduct

What is it about?

This study examines how employees’ perceptions of organizational politics—favoritism, self-serving leadership, and unfair decision-making—can lead to counterproductive work behavior (CWB), such as withholding effort, breaking rules, or harming organizational interests. Grounded in Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, it explains that when employees feel that political dynamics threaten their self-worth and sense of fairness, they lose valuable psychological resources and may retaliate to protect their dignity or regain control. Using survey data from employees in a large Mozambican bank, the study finds that perceptions of organizational politics trigger disidentification—a withdrawal where employees distance themselves from their employer and feel embarrassed by the association. This coping response, however, increases deviant or counterproductive behavior. The study also shows that external crises—like pandemics or economic instability—intensify this link, as heightened uncertainty and strain deplete resources and make destructive reactions more likely. These findings reveal how toxic organizational climates and external stressors interact to drive harmful behavior. Even well-intentioned employees may respond to political environments by disengaging and retaliating, especially under crisis conditions. To prevent this, organizations must promote transparency, fairness, and trust while offering emotional support during turbulent times to sustain employees’ identification and resource stability.

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Photo by Yogendra Singh on Unsplash

Photo by Yogendra Singh on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is novel in demonstrating how organizational disidentification operates as the psychological bridge between perceived politics and counterproductive work behavior, and how external crisis threats strengthen both links. By integrating COR theory with crisis psychology, it reveals that employees’ resource depletion and identity strain under political conditions are magnified by external uncertainty, leading to escalating cycles of deviance. It is also timely, as many organizations continue to face post-pandemic instability and geopolitical disruption that heighten political perceptions and emotional fatigue. Conducted in Mozambique, a context marked by economic volatility and collectivist social ties, the research offers practical insight into how external crises amplify internal dysfunction. It underscores the urgency for organizations to fortify fairness, communication, and identity-based support systems that can buffer employees from disidentification and preserve constructive behavior during times of uncertainty.