Mediating Role of Emotional Exhaustion in the Relationship of Work Incivility and Workplace Deviant Behavior

Abstract

Workplace incivility has emerged as an important organizational concern because subtle forms of interpersonal mistreatment may generate psychological strain and contribute to undesirable employee behaviors. This study examines the relationship between workplace incivility and workplace deviant behavior, with emotional exhaustion proposed as a mediating mechanism. The study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional research design and collected empirical data from managers/owners of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. The target SMEs were identified from enterprises listed with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and SMEs registered with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA). Data were collected using a structured questionnaire based on standardized measurement scales and a five-point Likert scale. A total of 466 usable responses were obtained from 711 distributed questionnaires. The sample size was determined with consideration of the requirements of the proposed mediation model. The findings indicate that workplace incivility has a significant positive relationship with workplace deviant behavior and emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, emotional exhaustion is significantly associated with workplace deviant behavior. The results also confirm the mediating role of emotional exhaustion in the relationship between workplace incivility and workplace deviant behavior. Thus, all four proposed hypotheses were supported. The study contributes to the organizational behavior literature by explaining how workplace incivility may translate into deviant behavior through employees' emotional exhaustion, particularly within the context of Pakistani SMEs. The findings provide implications for SME managers and owners regarding the importance of reducing uncivil workplace interactions and addressing employee emotional strain to minimize workplace deviance.