PERCEPTIONS OF CORPORATE POLITICS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AMONG THE PUBLIC SECTOR WORKFORCE: A CASE OF A LOCAL AUTHORITY IN ZIMBABWE

Back to Page Authors: Tracquilister Shangahaidonhi

Keywords: corporate politics and perceptions, human resource management, political tactics, corporate employees

Abstract: This study sought to explore the perceptions employees have on corporate politics and how these perceptions influence employee engagement. Perceptions of positive and negative workplace politics and the correlation, thereof, with work engagement of employees were investigated. The mixed methods research approach which was used in the study involved both qualitative and quantitative methods. A sample frame of 1120 and the sample size of 112 was utilized. The study assessed how workers in the local authority made sense of, and survived, “the corporate political jungle”. Primary and secondary data were used in the research. For primary data collection, the study used questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Secondary data were obtained from text books, journal articles, newspapers and internet sources. The evidence from the study suggests that workers perceive organizational politics as influential on their engagement. The majority of the respondents had a negative perception of workplace politics and regarded it as bad and unimportant as it brought more harm than good to both the individuals and the organization. Negative corporate politics was found to have a much stronger relationship with employee engagement than positive corporate politics. Results therefore support the assumption. The model summary indicates that a moderate correlation exists between the predictors (positive and negative politics) and the dependent variable (employee engagement). The implication of the findings is that both predictors have a negative influence on employee engagement each time they are implemented. However, the negative political tactics have been found to have more influence, causing a 16, 3% decline in employee engagement compared to 9, 5% of positive politicking. The study revealed that 59% of the employees were disengaged, 32% were engaged and 9% were unengaged. Respondents narrated their experiences of both positive and negative politics in organizations and indicated negative politics as harmful, leading to a disengaged workforce. The causes of organizational politics were identified and scarce resources, struggle for power, competition for promotion, uncertainty due to changes were found to be the major ones. National politics had a greater effect on workplace politics in the public sector. The researcher concludes that people in an organization have different perceptions about workplace politics. The prevalence of negative politics is detrimental to organizations, as it results in a disengaged workforce. It is recommended that since most respondents had negative perceptions of workplace politics, human resource managers need to formulate and implement strategies to combat or manage it at individual, group and organizational levels.