Saf Health Work.  2017 Mar;8(1):72-76. 10.1016/j.shaw.2016.08.003.

Do Personality and Organizational Politics Predict Workplace Victimization? A Study among Ghanaian Employees

• Amponsah-Tawiah K
• Annor F

• KMID: 2374838
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2016.08.003

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Workplace victimization is considered a major social stressor with significant implications for the wellbeing of employees and organizations. The aim of this study was to examine the influences of employees' personality traits and organizational politics on workplace victimization among Ghanaian employees.
METHODS
Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 631 employees selected from diverse occupations through convenience sampling. Data collection tools were standardized questionnaires that measured experiences of negative acts at work (victimization), the Big Five personality traits, and organizational politics.
RESULTS
The results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that among the personality traits neuroticism and conscientiousness had significant, albeit weak relationships with victimization. Organizational politics had a significant positive relationship with workplace victimization beyond employees' personality.
CONCLUSION
The study demonstrates that compared with personal characteristics such as personality traits, work environment factors such as organizational politics have a stronger influence on the occurrence of workplace victimization.

Keyword

Ghana; organizational politics; personality; workplace victimization

MeSH Terms

Crime Victims*
Data Collection
Ghana
Humans
Occupations
Politics*