Investigating the role of perceived career growth as a mediator in linking job autonomy, occupational self-efficacy, and LMX to workplace deviance

This study postulates a theoretical framework based on social determination theory, suggesting that employees' likelihood of workplace deviance can be reduced by their satisfaction with needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Thus, we propose that job autonomy, occupational self-efficacy, and leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships are negatively related to workplace deviance. Additionally, perceived career growth is proposed to mediate these relationships. The data were collected from 305 employees working in high-tech firms in Jiangsu province, China, through self-reported questionnaires during the two distinct periods. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data. The results supported the proposed hypotheses. Job autonomy, occupational self-efficacy, and LMX had a negative effect on workplace deviance. Moreover, job autonomy, occupational self-efficacy, and LMX positively affected perceived career growth. Finally, perceived career growth negatively mediated the effect of job autonomy, LMX, and occupational self-efficacy on workplace deviance. The study concludes that perceived career growth is a significant mediator between job autonomy, occupational self-efficacy, LMX, and workplace deviance. This finding offers key implications for both theory and practice.