Norms

(Conformity & Deviant

Workplace Behaviour)
Alex Nnamdi
Mercy Oku
Charlene Gonzales
Priyonka Das
Conformity

• Being one of the group and avoid being noticeably different

• Possible causes:
• Desire to be accepted by the group
• Desire to maintain a favourable self-concept
o Reference groups – important groups to which individuals belong or hope
to belong and with whose norms individuals are likely to conform.
o Examples: changing a political beliefs to match those of your friends.
• Everyone conforms to some extent to another in order to be part of a
society.
• Wearing certain types of clothing to fit in with a group.
• Going along with the crowd even if you don’t agree with what they are
doing.
 Deviant workplace behaviour
• Also called Antisocial Behaviour or Workplace Incivility

• Voluntary behaviour that violates significant organizational norms

and, in doing so, threatens the well-being of the organization or its
members.

• Sometimes organizations accept in creating and condoning

conditions that encourage deviant workplace behaviour and
maintain deviant norms. Employees often report of rudeness and
disregard towards others by the bosses, supervisors or coworkers.
Examples of Deviant workplace behaviour

• Production: employees leaving early, intentionally working slowly, and

wasting resources
• Property: sabotage, misusing equipment, and stealing from the
organization
• Political: showing favoritism, gossiping and spreading rumors, and
blaming co-workers
• Personal aggression: sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and stealing