Jurnal Dinamika Manajemen, 10 (1) 2019, 68-80

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The Paradoxical Effect of Perceived Organizational Politics and

Organizational Citizenship Behaviour
Faizal Susilo Hadi , Praptini Yulianti
 

Management Department, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia

Info Article Abstract

History Article: This study aims to explain how the psychological process affects perceived organizational politics
Received 5 April 2019
(POP) toward organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB). The paradoxical effect of POP to OCB
Approved 12 August 2019
Published March 2019 needs to be explained through two psychological processes: First, the mediation effect of psycho-
logical safety which explains POP as a barrier to OCB. Second, the mediation effect of careerism
Keywords: which explains POP as an OCB driver. One of the government institutions in Malang District used
Perceived Organizational Politics;
as research objects, involving 97 employees as respondents. A quantitative approach using Partial
Organizational Citizenship Be-
haviour; Careerism; Psychological Least Square (PLS) used as the method of this study. The results showed careerism mediated the
Safety. relationship between POP and OCB. But the surprising result is that psychological safety cannot
mediate the effect of POP to OCB because employees feel that there is no high threat of doing voice
behaviour, helping behaviour and individual initiatives in the political environment. These results
indicate that OCB is a safe activity when it does not contrary to other people’s self-interest, so it does
not cause a conflict.

Pengaruh Paradoks Perceived Organizational Politics pada

Organizational Citizenship Behaviour
Abstrak
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan bagaimana proses psikologi pengaruh perceived or-
ganizational politics (POP) terhadap organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB). Pengaruh
POP terhadap OCB yang bersifat paradoks perlu dijelaskan melalui dua proses psikologi yaitu
pertama, pengaruh mediasi psychological safety yang menjelaskan POP sebagai penghambat
OCB. Kedua, pengaruh mediasi careerism yang menjelaskan POP sebagai pendorong OCB.
Penelitian ini dilakukan di salah satu dinas pemerintahan di Kabupaten Malang dengan meli-
batkan 97 pegawai sebagai responden. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah pendekatan
kuantitatif dengan menggunakan Partial Least Square (PLS). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan
careerim memediasi hubungan POP terhadap OCB. Tetapi hasil mengejutkan bahwa psycho-
logical safety tidak dapat memediasi pengaruh POP terhadap OCB karena pegawai merasa
tidak ada ancaman yang tinggi ketika melakukan voice behaviour, helping behaviour dan
initiative individual pada lingkungan politik. Hasil penelitian ini menandakan OCB menjadi
kegiatan yang aman ketika tidak bertentangan dengan self-interest orang lain sehingga tidak
memunculkan konflik.

JEL Classification: M3, M31

How to Cite: Hadi, F. S., & Yulianti, P. (2019). The Paradoxical Effect of Perceived Organizational Politics and Organizational Citizenship
Behaviour. Jurnal Dinamika Manajemen, 10(1), 68-80.


Correspondence Address ISSN
Jln Diponegoro III No 249, Banjarejo, Kabupaten Malang 2086-0668 (print) 2337-5434 (online)
Email: faizal.susilo.hadi-2017@feb.unair.ac.id DOI: 10.15294/jdm.v10i1.18682
 Faizal Susilo Hadi & Praptini Yulianti/ The Paradoxical Effect of Perceived Organizational Politics and....

INTRODUCTION lete the duties of other employees so as it will

not interfere his own work).
Government institutions such as service Some studies suggest that the organizatio-
organization in every region have an important nal environment is the main influence of OCB
role in providing services to the community. (Podsakoff et al., 2000; Deckop et al., 2003). So-
The function of services in every region is to meone will act based on their environmental in-
help the mayors or regents to apply their pro- fluence. The person will create, maintain, change
grams to create a prosperous society. So, the ser- or even destroy something just to respond to the
vice organization is required to provide the best environment (Bandura, 2006). Social exchange
performance. On the other hand, the increase of theory (SET) explains that organizations that
community needs and its rapid change will be provide a comfortable environment and create
challenging for government organizations. The- job satisfaction, their employees tend to provide
se demands force government organizations to positive behaviours that support the performan-
change the old paradigm that knew as slow and ce of organizations such as OCB. Conversely, if
inviolable procedures, not flexible in providing the organization creates an uncomfortable envi-
services to creativity, innovation, and behaviour ronment it will affect the psychological pressu-
which were oriented to change in order to be re of employees so that it impacts on decreased
able to provide services according to communi- performance (Organ & Konovsky, 1989).
ty needs. The most prominent organizational en-
Based on the demands of government or- vironment in government organizations is or-
ganizations that have been discussed previously, ganizational politics because the service orga-
Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) is nization has a highest formal structure and as a
a behaviour that is very necessary to fulfill the- central decision maker (centralization) so that it
se demands. OCB is behaviour outside the job indicates high power distance (Vigoda, 2000a)
description and does not get formal rewards in- person-organization fit and level of met-expec-
cluded in the system (Smith et al., 1983). OCB tations. Organizational politics are behaviours
promotes mutual and constructive behaviour that are strategically designed to promote and
that helps organizations provide good service to protect personal interests and sometimes cont-
the community. In addition, many studies have radict organizational goals (Kacmar & Carlson,
consistently stated that OCB is one of the im- 1997). Organizations with high political prac-
portant factors in improving organizational per- tices are considered to have an unfavourable
environment such as psychological tension,
formance, more study related to the factors that
declining morality and damaging the altruistic
influence a person to do OCB is needed (Podsa-
motives in OCB (Chang et al., 2009). Someone
koff et al., 1997; Park, 2018).
who perceives politics in his organization sees
Batson (1987) explains that OCB can
that there are unwritten rules and powers that
be improved by prosocial and self-serving mo-
can be used arbitrarily so that the organizational
tives. Prosocial motive is a motive that is based
environment is not easy to predict and cause the
on interpersonal feelings to help other people
employees to be reluctant to do OCB (Chang et
or organizations. OCB which is carried out on al., 2009).
the basis of prosocial motives aimed to provide The results are different in OCB’s rela-
benefits to the organization without prioritizing tionship and organizational politics if the re-
the benefits to be gained. The self-serving moti- lationship was explained by using Impression
ve is a motive that is based on personal interests. Management Theory (IM) that someone can
OCB which is based on self-serving motives influence the assessment or assumption of ot-
shows that OCB is aimed to fulfill its own obli- hers (Bolino et al., 2008). People who perceived
gations and goals (for example helping to comp- organizational politics (POP) tend to judge the

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organizational environment as difficult to un- on of position is also based on performance app-

derstand and cause resources injustice (Vigoda, raisal, employees need non-performance efforts
2000a) Person-Organization Fit (POF) and le- to ensure the promotion of the position will be
vel of met-expectations. One of its resources is given to them (Feldman & Weitz, 1991). Emp-
information resources where information in the loyees who perceive politics are more concerned
organization is known by certain people. Emp- with the assessment of others about themselves
loyees who have important information tend to and their career goals tend to increase their own
have the opportunity to get promotion (Carlson value (Kim et al., 2016)
et al., 2011). Then how to become the employee On the other hand, (Li et al., 2014) assu-
in question? Therefore, OCB is needed. me that organizations with a high political cli-
The previous explanation regarding the mate will make psychological safety of the emp-
relationship between perceived organizational loyees feel threatened and reluctant to carry out
politics (POP) or organizational politics and their activities outside their duties. This expla-
OCB shows a paradoxical relationship that ma- nation shows that POP has a negative influence
kes it difficult to determine its direct influence on OCB through psychological safety. There-
(Hsiung et al., 2012). Therefore, mediating fore, in this study the researchers used variable
variable is needed to explain more about the careerism and psychological safety as mediating
relationship between POP and OCB. Hsiung variables to explain more the relationship bet-
et al. (2012) explained that the environmental ween POP and OCB.
conditions of organizations with a high politi-
cal climate affect employees’ views about career Hypothesis Development
advancement. Employees assume that efforts The Effects Perceived Organizational Poli-
outside of job descriptions are very helpful in tics (POP) on Organizational Citizenship
achieving a career. Behaviour (OCB)
Today, it is hard to get balance between OCB is individual behaviour that is disc-
two kinds of commitment and thus determi- retionary, not directly or explicitly recognized
ne whether employees are more committed to by the formal reward system, and that in the
their personal achievement in their careers or to aggregate promotes the effective functioning of
the organization itself (Kim et al., 2016). Indivi- the organization (Organ & Konovsky, 1989). At
duals with a careerist orientation no longer view first, OCB was known as prosocial behaviour
their current organization as the key architect of that had a positive impact on the work environ-
their career, nurturing growth from the early sta- ment (Smith et al., 1983). But, Bolino (1999)
ges of work through to retirement via effective explains whether employees who do OCB, real-
succession planning and other talent manage- ly intend to do their jobs well or just the oppo-
ment programs (Crawshaw & Brodbeck, 2011). site, only to looks good by co-workers and their
Perhaps it is desirable to think that ownership leaders. Research Hsiung et al. (2012) explains
and responsibility for career management inc- more about what affects employees doing OCB
reasingly belongs to employees, but the problem in the form of doing good or looking good. One
is that they distrust their organization and beha- of the factors that influence the motives under-
ve instrumentally at work in the belief that com- lying OCB is politics (Bolino, 1999; Hsiung et
petence alone may not be enough to secure their al., 2012; Li et al., 2014).
career goals and aspirations (Kim et al., 2016). Organizational politic is a natural and de-
Politics causes uncertainty and injustice finite phenomenon in every organization. Orga-
in the organizational environment, so emplo- nizational politics is a combination of power and
yees consider activities based on careerism to self-interest. While POP is subjective interpre-
enhance their careers (such as social relations) tation of someone about someone’s behaviour
(Deghetto et al., 2017). Although the promoti- or other groups that are considered in political

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activities (Ferris & Kacmar, 1992). The direct The Effects of Perceived Organizational Poli-
effect of POP on OCB is not yet clear. On the tics (POP) on Psychological Safety
one hand POP is positively affecting OCB, but Psychological safety is the belief that
on the other hand POP is negatively affecting exhibiting risky behaviour, such as voice, will
OCB. He not hypothesize a direct relationship not cause personal harm (Edmondson, 1999).
of POP towards OCB because the relationship Psychologically safety is especially important in
is still unclear (Hsiung et al., 2012). work environments where employee and custo-
mer safety are paramount, such as service orga-
The Effects of Perceived Organizational Poli- nization, as it has been shown to be critical in
tics (POP) on Careerism reducing employee errors and enhancing safety
Careerism could be defined as the pro- (Leroy et al., 2012) and been shown to increase
pensity to pursue career advancement through team and individual learning across multiple or-
non-performance-based means (Feldman & ganizations
Weitz, 1991). Careerism entail a perspective of Psychological safety could be defined as a
one’s self, seen through the lenses of commo- shared belief amongst individuals as to whether
dification, self-objectification, and reification it is safe to engage in interpersonal risk-taking in
(Chiaburu et al., 2013). Employee with strong the workplace (Edmondson, 1999; Edmondson
exchange ideology will work hard only if treated & Lei, 2014). While organizational politics is
well whereas those with weak exchange ideolo- one of the workplace conditions that always oc-
gy will support their organization even if they do curs in every organization (Ferris et al., 2019).
not feel their efforts are reciprocated (Chiaburu Organizational Politics creates work environ-
et al., 2013). Employees careerist orientation can ment which is full of uncertainty, making it dif-
be shaped by the work environment (Feldman & ficult for employees to predict the consequen-
Weitz, 1991). Organizational politic is a natural ces that will come from their current activities
and definite phenomenon in every organization. (Landells & Albrecht, 2015). The uncertainty
The work environment with a high political level that was felt by the employees will be a negative
reflects high injustice in the organization, so the threat because employees feel the work environ-
employees need more effort to get something in ment situation cannot be controlled. Further-
the organization (Chang et al., 2009). Organiza- more, negative threats will affect the psycholo-
tional politics that are unfair make individuals gical condition of employees so that employees
who are passive in their work will be exploited or feel insecure (Li et al., 2014).
losses compared to active individuals. Individu- Organizational politics have a negative
als who are actively carrying out their obligations impact on individuals such as psychological
and fight for their rights in their jobs. This can strains, stress, pressure (Meisler et al., 2017),
stimulate individuals to want power, status, cont- task conflict and relationship conflict (Bai et
rol, and recognition (Vigoda, 2000b). al., 2016). Relationship conflict causes a har-
Employee perceptions regarding the posi- med party because of the loss of resources and
tion make employees assume that to get a pro- threatens the status quo. So employees who
motion cannot be done only by performance perceive politics in their organizations tend to
(Hsiung et al., 2012). Thus impact employee avoid or choose to agree with those who have
behaviour such as conducting impression mana- the power, to reduce the negative impact of or-
gement, deepening interpersonal relationships, ganizational politics (de Moraes & Teixeira,
increasing social relationships with colleagues 2017). We therefore advance the following
and leader to get promotion (Feldman & Weitz, hypothesis
1991; Hsiung et al., 2012) H2: POP is negatively related to psychological
H1: POP is positively related to careerism safety

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The Effects of Careerism on Organizational tion to facilitate their career advancement. We

Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) therefore advance the following hypothesis
Some studies treat OCB as spontaneous H3: Careerism is positively related to OCB
extra role behaviour issued by employees and
there is no compensation by the organization The Effect of Psychological Safety on Organi-
(Organ, 1988). But other studies show that zational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB)
OCB is associated with performance evaluation Psychological safety is based on trust bet-
and rewards in the form of compensation both ween individuals and organizations. If the orga-
directly and indirectly (Podsakoff & MacKen- nization provides uncertain work environment
zie, 2009). The current views of researchers on and full of risks it will impact on the performan-
OCB are not only extra role behaviour without ce of both in role and extra-role performance (Li
compensation but also OCB can provide addi- et al., 2014). Every behaviour and action taken
tion value to performance evaluation and can by the employees will have risks that can threa-
have an impact on compensation obtained by ten interpersonal relationship and the career of
employees. But this view depends on the beliefs the employee. These conditions make emplo-
or orientation of employees on careers; if emp- yees tend to be quiet to maintain their position
loyee orientation towards careers is high then and themselves from the risks that might occur.
employees tend to prioritize extra-role beha- Employees will act based on instructions and
viour (Feldman & Weitz, 1991)which is defined give little advice or action outside of their res-
as the propensity to pursue career advancement ponsibilities, it means that employees do little
through non-performance-based means. (Feld- or no OCB (Neeta, 2013).
man & Weitz, 1991). Employees believe that Psychological safety is influential on OCB
good performance or performance evaluation especially in voice behaviour because speaking
is not enough to achieve a high career, so emp- out is relatively unsecured based on the fact that
loyees often form an image or impression on voice is not included in the formal reward sys-
the organization instead of work hard (Bolino, tem and can cause negative career outcomes,
1999). OCB is very relevant in helping emplo- such as decreased promotion opportunities
yees create good impressions or images so that (Li et al., 2014). Unlike in-role behaviour in
employees with high career interests will do which employees need to maintain a certain le-
OCB. vel to secure their jobs, voice behaviour similar
OCB is a form of employee adaptation to with other extra-role behaviour that employees
adjust the unexpected in their work (Xu & Yu, have the freedom to adjust their performance
2019). Employee felt obligation and altruistic without putting themselves in a risky situation
concern were explored as underlying motives (Harvey et al., 2018). Employees may thus with
for citizenship behavior directed toward the or- hold their usual OCB when they believe that
ganization (OCBO suggests OCB was driven their efforts on OCB become a risky investment
largely by the exchange relationship the emplo- in highly political organizations where the OCB
yee had with his or her supervisor (Lemmon & of employees may spur higher opportunities for
Wayne, 2015). OCB also improves the quality the employees to suffer backfire. Conversely,
of relationships between employees and leaders. employees with high levels of psychological sa-
The relationship between individuals and indivi- fety perceive little risk to their own interests in
duals is more of an obligation because the leader demonstrating OCB (Walumbwa & Schaubro-
directly determines the rewards and resources eck, 2009). We therefore advance the following
received by employees. Therefore, employees hypothesis
with high career orientation tend to do OCB to H4: Psychological safety is positively related
affect the leader’s perceptions with the expecta- to OCB

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The Effects of Perceived Organizational Poli- rity felt by the individual. Work environments
tic (POP) on OCB Through careerism that are psychologically less safe make individu-
Organizations with high political levels als tend to conduct conservative behaviours to
will cause uncertainty and injustice for emplo- their resources and limit the actions to maintain
yees (Ferris et al., 2017). So that it can lead to their status and career (Staw et al., 1981). Jud-
perceptions of employees that interpersonal or ging from the SET, when employees feel the or-
non-performance relationships have a greater ganization provides a safe environment, emplo-
influence than performance-based performan- yees will concern to social exchange compared
ce appraisal (Feldman & Weitz, 1991). There to economic exchange (Blau, 1964). Employees
fore, employees need to build interpersonal re- will only do in role behaviour without doing ex-
lationships or good impressions to their bosses tra role behaviour or OCB because in role beha-
through OCB. OCB is a behaviour that can af- viour included to the calculation of compensa-
fect the results of performance and evaluation. tion while OCB not. In addition to maintaining
Employees who often apply OCB will have a their status and career, employees will tend
high performance rating compared to emplo- to be passive and reluctant to express ideas or
yees who are passive in their work (Afshardoust behaviour outside of job descriptions because
et al., 2013). In addition, employees with high psychological safety employees feel threatened
career interests will continue to approach emp- (Li et al., 2014). We therefore advance the follo-
loyers through OCB. High political conditions wing hypothesis
in the organization will harm employees with H6: POP is negatively related to OCB through
low career interests, making employees forced psychological safety
to take part in political activities and do the
same as employees who have high career inter- METHOD
ests (Bowler et al., 2019). We therefore advance
the following hypothesis This conducted in one of the government
H5: POP is positively related to OCB through service organization in Malang. This study is
careerism a quantitative study and data collection uses a
purposive sampling technique. Total question-
The Effects of Perceived Organizational Po- naires distributed to employees are 115 questi-
litic (POP) on OCB through Psychological onnaires and only 97 questionnaires that could
Safety be tested for data. Respondents also responded
Politics in organizations have a negative to demographic characteristics such as age, gen-
impact on work environment. Work environ- der, education and job tenure. The analytical
ments that are full of uncertainty make emplo- tool used in this study is Partial Least Square
yees more careful when taking actions due to (PLS) because it can calculate all coefficients
negative consequences (Ferris et al., 2017). Or- simultaneously so that it is possible to analyze
ganizational Politic makes individuals or groups direct and indirect relationships. In addition,
differ from each other so that they create conflict PLS is able to analyze data with less than one
or negative behaviour. Individuals who have the hundred samples (Abdillah & Hartono, 2015).
same goals will be in groups while other indivi- Measurements
duals or groups with different goals will become To measure POP, OCB, psychological sa-
outgroups (Bowler et al., 2019). This causes fety variables used Likert scale from 5 (strongly
conflict of purpose and results in groups or in- agree) to 1 (strongly disagree). In addition, all
dividuals who have less power being threatened measurement literature sources are in English so
with their image, status, and career. that researchers use back translation method to
The risks that overshadow every action translate them in Indonesian.
which is taken by individual will cause psycho- In management literature, the most wide-
logical tension, especially in the feeling of secu- ly accepted measure of POP is the perceptions

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of politics scale (POPS) developed by Kacmar RESULT AND DISCUSSION

and Carlson (1997). There are 14 and one of
items sample item was “People in this organiza- The results of the average calculation
tion attempt to build themselves up by tearing and standard deviation in this study are shown
others down”. OCB is measured using three in Table 1 and the result of structural equation
dimensions, first, helping behaviour (Organ & model are shown in Figure 1. Statistical ana-
Konovsky, 1989) with 7 items. One of sample lysis showed the value of R square in the OCB
item was “This particular co-worker volunteers variable is 0.729. That value shows that 72.9%
to do things for this work group”. Second, indi- of the variation of the OCB can be explained
vidual initiative (Bolino & Turnley, 2005) with by the POP, careerism and psychological safety
15 items, and one of sample item was “Attends variable. The value of R square from careerism
work-related functions on his/her personal variable is 0.518 which means that 51.8% varia-
time”,. Third, voice behaviour (Van Dyne & tion of careerism can be explained by POP va-
LePine, 1998) with 6 items, and one of sample
Table 1. Mean and Standart Deviation
item was “This particular follower develops and
makes recommendations concerning issues”.
Fourth, careerism measured by using measure- Standard
Variable Mean
Deviation
ments from (Feldman & Weitz, 1991) with 7
Perceived Organizational 4.17 0.758
items, and one of sample item was “The key to
Politics
success is who you know, not what you know”.
Organizational Citizenship 4.08 0.804
Fifth, psychological safety variables measured
Behaviour
using the measurement of Edmondson (1999)
Careerism 4.23 0.795
with 6 items, and one of sample item was “It is
safe for me to speak up around here”. Psychological Safety 4.14 0.751

Figure 1. The Result of Structural Equation Model

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riables. Furthermore, the value of R square from zation will increase careerism in employees. The
psychological safety variable is 0.211 which me- results of this study are supported by the study
ans that by 21.1% the variation of psychological conducted by Hsiung et al. (2012).
safety can be explained by POP variables. Hypothesis 2 test results show that
the value of the t statistic of the influen-
Table 2. Reliability ce of POP on psychological safety is 1.2128
(<1.96) and the value is original sample
Cronbach’s Al- Composite -0.1126 (negative) so H2 is rejected. When
Variable employees perceive politics in their organiza-
pha Reliability
POP 0.9456 0.9521 tions it is less likely to affect psychological sa-
OCB 0.9671 0.9706 fety of employees. The results of this study are
Psychological
different from the results of a study conducted
0.8926 0.9156 by Li et al. (2014) which states that POP affects
Safety
psychological safety.
Careerism 0.9193 0.9199
The results of hypothesis 3 test show that
the t value statistics effect of careerism to OCB
Based on Table 2, the result of reliabili-
is 3.1919 (> 1.96) and has original sample value
ty testing on variables in this study illustrates
-0.2167 (negative), so hypothesis 3 is accepted.
that all variables meet the composite reliabili- The higher the employee’s careerism belief, the
ty because the composite reliability coefficient employee will increase OCB. The results of this
> 0.70. All variables also meet the consistency study are supported by research conducted by
internal reliability because the cronbach’s alpha Hsiung et al. (2012)this study sought to explain
coefficients > 0.60, so all variables have met how perception of organizational politics (POP
composite reliability and consistency internal. which states that someone who has high caree-
It means that all questions are able to constantly rism beliefs will apply OCB.
measure the problems, in other words, it can be The results of hypothesis 4 test show that
said that the questionnaire is reliable. statistical value in the relationship of psycho-
logical safety and OCB is 2.7121 (> 1.96)
Hypothesis Test and the value of the original sample is 0.1476
Based on the results of the statistical test (positive) so that hypothesis 4 is accepted,
in Table 3 shows that the value of t statistic, the meaning the more employees feel safe and not
influence of POP on careerism is 3.4397 (> stressed in doing something, the employee will
1.96) and the value original sample is 0.2162 increase OCB activities in the organization.
(positive) so that H1 is accepted. The higher the The results of this study are supported by a stu-
employee’s perception of politics in his organi- dy conducted by (Li et al., 2014; Leung et al.,

Table 3. Mean, STDEV, T-Values

Original Sample Standard

T Statistics
sampel Mean Deviation
POP  Careerism 0.2162 0.9225 0.0204 3.4397
POP  Psychological Safety -0.1126 0.1388 0.0928 1.2128
Careerism  OCB -0.2167 0.9558 0.0132 3.1919
Psychological Safety  OCB 0.1476 0.7580 0.0687 2.7121
POP Careerism  OCB 0.7547 0.7297 0.0267 2.3397
POP  Psychological Safety  OCB 0.0166 0.0212 0.0182 1.1071

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2015; Yan & Xiao, 2016) which states that the tect the interests of influential people or groups
more someone feels psychological safety, the (Ferris et al., 2002). This is an implication that
employee will apply OCB. power and social relations play a role more than
The result of hypothesis 5 test which sta- performance and competence. Therefore, emp-
tes that effect of POP on OCB through caree- loyees who perceive politics in their organiza-
rism shows t statistics value is 2.3397 (> 1.96), tions tend to have careerism belief.
which means that hypothesis 5 is accepted. Based on IM, employees who perceive
While hypothesis 6 which states that effect of politics in their organizations tend to have con-
POP on OCB through psychology safety has fidence that good performance is not enough
t statistics value 1.1071 (<1.96), which means to improve their careers so that good social re-
that hypothesis 6 is rejected. lationships are needed with their leaders and
co-workers. Therefore, OCB is needed to build
Discussion social relations. OCB promotes feelings of trust
Organizational Politics occur naturally and impresses both leaders and co-workers.
and always occur in all organizations in various This is evident from OCB which can improve
sectors. Nonetheless, the practice of OP is much performance appraisal and the opportunity to
higher in organizations in the public sector than promote position.
in the private sector. This is due to subjective On the other hand, the results of this
nature that is often seen in the management of study indicate that the influence of POP on
public organizations (Shrestha & Mishra, 2015). psychological safety is not significant, because
Employees who feel high politics level in organi- organizational politics are identic to power and
zations tend to feel unclear organization environ- self-interest so that the form of political practi-
ment conditions and the same feedback among ce in the organization manifested in the form
members of the organization(Ferris et al., 1996) of policies and regulations. Policies and regula-
Based on SET and IM, POP has a parado- tions serve as guidelines for actions that cannot
xical influence on OCB. It is difficult to explain be done (Lampaki & Papadakis, 2018). So that
the direct relationship between POP and OCB. when there is a conflict of interest, the rules be-
So those mediator variables are needed, such as come a reference for actions that will be taken
careerism, and psychological safety to clarify the by employees to avoid high risks. Therefore, the
influence of POP on OCB (Hsiung et al., 2012). high political perception by employees does not
The results of the hypothesis test indica- have an impact on their psychological safety.
te that POP has a positive effect on careerism. Employees assume that actions such as
Political organization causes employees to be helping behaviour and individual initiatives are
liked and disliked, causing a difference in treat- activities that have a smaller risk than voice be-
ment. Differences in behaviour carried out by haviour (Li et al., 2014; Jawahar & Liu, 2016;
the organization will create resource gaps such Yan & Xiao, 2016). So, employees assume that
as certain information and positions. Not all even though the organization has a high political
information can be known by employees, only climate, they will tend to do OCB without wor-
certain employees who are considered to have rying about risks that can affect their psycho-
the same interests who can find out the infor- logical safety. Psychological safety is a shared
mation (Meisler & Vigoda-Gadot, 2014) In ad- belief in organizations in assessing a safe work
dition, there are different opportunities to get environment (Kahn, 1990). Judging from the
certain assignments and positions because the high respondent’s assessment of psychological
leaders will be selective in filling important po- safety, it indicates that social relations between
sitions. Only people who have the same political employees are high, thereby reducing conflicts
goals can fill these positions assuming that one with both individuals and organizations (Asen-
day those in office can help to develop and pro- dorpf & Wilpers, 1998).

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CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION of OCB performed by employees. Second, the

limitation of the study is the number of samp-
SET and IM explained that the influen- les cannot generalize the results of government
ce of POP on OCB is paradoxical. The results organizations. So that the next researcher is ex-
showed that POP increased the desire of emp- pected to be able to use multiple objects or stu-
loyees to apply OCB through careerism as a me- dy more than one government agency.
diating variable. But there are differences in the
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