The battle against deviance: ethical climates as organizational shields

Purpose Workplace deviance poses significant challenges for organizations, particularly when influenced by dark personality traits like Machiavellianism. This study aims to explores the interaction between Machiavellianism, moral disengagement and ethical climate using the lens of social cognitive theory (SCT). While ethical climates are traditionally viewed positively to mitigate deviant behaviors, the findings reveal that effectiveness varies depending on their dimensions. Design/methodology/approach Using a longitudinal design over three surveys, the authors examined the mediating role of moral disengagement in the relationship between Machiavellianism and workplace deviance. The authors also analyzed how the distinct dimensions of ethical climate – egoist, benevolent and principled – moderate this mediated relationship. Findings Results show that Machiavellianism positively relates to moral disengagement, which predicts higher levels of deviance. Notably, egoist and benevolent climates strengthen the relationship between Machiavellianism and deviance, while principled climates serve as effective shields, weakening this relationship. Originality/value Ultimately, this research provides actionable insights for designing more resilient organizational environments in the battle against workplace deviance. It is relevant to the pursuit of academic and practitioner motives as it dives deeper into the understanding of SCT theory and how organizations can better structure themselves when using ethical climates.