Extravagant Lifestyle and Personality Traits as Predictors of Workplace Deviant Behaviour among Lagos University Teaching Hospital Staff.

Abstract

Workplace deviant behaviour, including theft, fraud, aggression, sexual harassment, and intentional withdrawal of effort, poses serious challenges for organizational productivity and institutional integrity. This study examined the predictive roles of extravagant lifestyle orientation and personality traits in explaining workplace deviant behaviour among employees of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was employed. Participants consisted of 190 male and female employees of LUTH selected through a convenience sampling procedure. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires measuring extravagant lifestyle, the Big Five personality traits, and workplace deviant behaviour. Statistical analyses were conducted using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and multiple regression analysis. Results revealed that extravagant lifestyle significantly predicted workplace deviant behaviour, F(1,188) = 12.50, R² = .062, p < .05, accounting for approximately 6% of the variance. Personality traits also demonstrated a significant joint influence on workplace deviance, F (5,184) = 6.54, R² = .151, p < .05. Specifically, extraversion (β = −.26), agreeableness (β = .19), and openness to experience (β = .31) were significant predictors, whereas conscientiousness and neuroticism were not. Gender differences in workplace deviance were not statistically significant. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating personality assessment and behavioural risk screening into recruitment, employee development, and organizational ethics programs within healthcare institutions. This study contributes to the limited empirical literature on workplace deviance within African healthcare contexts by demonstrating how lifestyle orientation and personality traits interact to influence deviant workplace behaviour among hospital staff.