The exhausted short-timer: Leveraging autonomy to engage in production deviance

Abstract

This article explores the conditions under which autonomy may lead to production deviance (unsanctioned, non-task-focused behavior) rather than acting as a motivational job characteristic. In a study of 260 manual laborers, we applied Conservation of Resources Theory to propose an interaction among autonomy, emotional exhaustion and employment opportunity in predicting production deviance. We suggest that employees who experience emotional exhaustion may leverage autonomy to engage in production deviance in efforts to conserve and protect remaining energy reserves, particularly when they feel they can secure ‘better’ opportunities than their current job. Results of hierarchical moderated multiple regression analyses revealed that workers reporting high levels of autonomy, emotional exhaustion and employment opportunity also manifested the highest levels of production deviance.