The Relationship Between Positive Perceptions Toward Organizational Politics and the Work-Related Outcomes of Nurses

BACKGROUND: Organizational politics (OP) exists to varying degrees in all organizations. OP plays an important role in creating synergy between employees and the goals of the organization. PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the relationship between positive perceptions toward OP and work-related outcomes in nurses, including stress level, burnout level, turnover intention, and job satisfaction. METHODS: This descriptive, analytical study was conducted from April to June 2018 on nurses at Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences Hospitals in Neyshabur, northeastern Iran. The study included 280 nurses working in two teaching hospitals. Five standardized tools were used, including the Perception of Organizational Politics Scale, the Nursing Stress Scale, the Burnout Measure Scale, the Turnover Intention Inventory Scale, and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. RESULTS: The results indicate that the participants did not hold positive perceptions toward OP. The mean Perception of Organizational Politics Scale score was 2.63 ± 0.55. Multiple linear regression analyses showed a significant and positive relationship between positive perception toward OP and job satisfaction and a negative relationship between positive perception toward OP and turnover intention, burnout, and job stress. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses who perceive the work environment to be political will experience greater levels of stress, turnover intention, and burnout and lower levels of job satisfaction. Politics is an issue that should be handled by all levels of management. Managers should use supportive, nonpolitical workplace strategies to improve the work-related outcomes of employees.