Organizational Politics in IT Sector: The Relationship Between Stress, Burnout and Deviant Behaviour

Abstract

In the dynamic landscape of Pakistan’s IT sector, employee satisfaction is critical for organizational success. This study explores the complex interplay between organizational politics, stress, burnout and deviant behavior, addressing gaps in understanding these dynamics within this fast-evolving industry. Grounded in the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the research investigates how organizational politics impacts deviant behavior through stress and burnout as mediators. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional approach, data were collected from 384 IT employees in Islamabad through multi-stage cluster sampling. The findings reveal that organizational politics directly lead to deviant behavior, stress significantly mediates this relationship. Interestingly, burnout suppresses deviant behavior despite being heightened by organizational politics. The combined mediation effect of stress and burnout was not significant, underscoring the complexity of their roles. These results enhance theoretical discourse by emphasizing stress as a critical pathway and burnout as a suppressor in the organizational politics behavior link. Practically, the study highlighted the need for transparent workplace policies to reduce organizational politics & stress, alongside wellness programs and mental health support to prevent burnout. By addressing these issues proactively, IT organizations can foster employee well-being, workplace harmony and enhanced productivity. In summary, this study advances the theoretical discourse on resource conservation and employee well-being by delineating a nuanced pathway from organizational stressors to behavioral outcomes. It offers valuable insights for scholars and practitioners, providing practical solutions to enhance productivity and workplace harmony in Pakistan's IT sector.