motivation.

Workplace politics, also known as organizational politics, encompasses activities by individuals or groups within an organization to gain advantages not necessarily linked to job performance or merit. This often involves power struggles, favoritism, and leveraging influence for rewards or promotions [1]. Such political behaviors can have a considerable impact on organizational outcomes, including employee motivation, morale, and productivity. In Nigerian universities, workplace politics can create an environment where academic staff members may feel undervalued, leading to a decline in their engagement and effectiveness in fulfilling their primary duties of teaching, research, and community service. Ideally, Nigerian universities should foster a meritocratic environment where promotions, recognition, and resource allocation are based on individual achievements and contributions. However, workplace politics disrupts these expectations by manifesting in favoritism, bureaucratic manipulation, and decisions driven by personal connections rather than merit. This creates an atmosphere of demotivation among staff, which has been linked to stress, dissatisfaction, and reduced job performance [1]. The negative effects of workplace politics are particularly pronounced in developing countries like Nigeria, where limited resources, intense competition for promotions, and a lack of organizational transparency complicate the academic staff's focus on their core roles. These dynamics can undermine the quality of teaching and research, potentially affecting the overall educational standards in these institutions.

The widespread presence of workplace politics in Nigerian universities poses significant challenges to academic staff productivity, as seen through its adverse effects on employee motivation, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. In such politically charged environments, outcomes like high turnover rates, reduced academic work quality, and lower productivity levels become more common [1]. This issue is compounded by the high stakes in resource allocation and the competitive atmosphere surrounding promotions within these institutions. Academic staff, as a result, may become more focused on navigating the political landscape than dedicating themselves to teaching, research, and community service. Despite the gravity of these challenges, research specifically examining the impact of workplace politics on academic staff productivity in Nigerian universities remains limited. Existing studies tend to focus on general organizational behavior without addressing the unique challenges of the higher education sector, underscoring the need for research that explores how workplace politics affects productivity, particularly regarding favoritism, transparency issues, and politically motivated decision-making.

This research aims to address these gaps by focusing on four key objectives. First, it seeks to analyze the effect of workplace politics on academic staff productivity in Nigerian universities. Second, it aims to identify factors contributing to workplace politics within these institutions, such as favoritism, bureaucratic manipulation, and resource allocation practices. Third, the study will assess how workplace politics impacts job satisfaction and employee motivation. Finally, it will suggest measures for mitigating the negative effects of workplace politics on productivity, with a focus on enhancing transparency, fair resource distribution, and merit-based decision-making.

This study is significant for multiple reasons. It aims to fill a gap in the existing literature by providing empirical evidence on the impact of workplace politics on academic staff productivity in Nigerian universities. Such insights are essential for university administrators striving to improve staff performance and foster a conducive working environment. By identifying factors that contribute to workplace politics, the study will offer insights into how institutions can implement policies to reduce favoritism, enhance transparency, and ensure that promotions and rewards are based on merit rather than political motives.

Additionally, the study will contribute to the broader field of organizational behavior by examining how workplace politics influences job satisfaction and motivation in an academic setting, with implications for policy-making and management practices. Ultimately, the findings will provide valuable recommendations for developing strategies that promote a fair and supportive work environment, fostering productivity and job satisfaction among academic staff.

This section explores the impact of workplace politics on employee productivity through a review of empirical research, theoretical perspectives, and the gaps identified in existing literature, emphasizing this study's contribution to the knowledge base.

Research has consistently shown that workplace politics, defined as activities undertaken to gain advantages unrelated to merit, tends to have adverse effects on productivity. Ferris et al. [2] argue that workplace politics often generates an atmosphere of uncertainty and perceived unfairness, which diminishes employee motivation and overall job performance. Studies indicate that when employees perceive high levels of political behavior within their organizations, they experience elevated job stress and a corresponding decrease in productivity. In Nigerian universities, research has highlighted the particularly harmful impact of workplace politics on the productivity of academic staff. For instance, Ifedili [3] found that favoritism in promotions, allocation of research funds, and politically influenced decision-making significantly reduce the commitment of academic staff. In cases where contributions are undervalued due to political biases, academic staff often exhibit diminished engagement and productivity. Similarly, Olusegun [4] identified a correlation between workplace politics and low job satisfaction and high turnover intentions among university staff, suggesting that politically charged environments may contribute to employee attrition.

Further studies, such as those by Joseph and Alhassan [5], reveal that when academic staff perceive favoritism and lack of transparency in reward systems, they experience reduced motivation, which negatively affects their teaching and research productivity. Additionally Ajibare et al. [6] discovered a significant negative relationship between workplace politics and organizational commitment in South-West Nigerian universities, finding that political behavior eroded staff willingness to exceed their assigned duties.

Dauda and Bradford [7] noted that workplace politics adversely impacts employee morale, especially in academic settings where transparency and fairness in evaluations and promotions are crucial. Here, perceptions of bias or political motivations can lead to disengagement and reduced innovation. Busemeyer and Trampusch [8] conducted a cross-country study involving universities in Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa, finding that while the manifestations of workplace politics vary, its negative effects on staff productivity remain consistent.

Similar patterns have been observed in other organizational contexts. Olusegun [9] noted that politically motivated actions, such as favoritism or manipulation, harm organizational performance in corporate settings by undermining morale. Additionally, Kacmar and Baron [10] highlighted that high perceived organizational politics correlates with reduced commitment and increased absenteeism. This trend is applicable in academic institutions, where navigating politically charged environments can contribute to employee burnout. These studies collectively support the conclusion that workplace politics hinders productivity across diverse settings, including Nigerian universities, underscoring the need for theoretical insights to explain these dynamics. The theoretical framework guiding this study draws on the organizational politics perspective and social exchange theory. The organizational politics perspective suggests that politics in organizations stem from competition over scarce resources, differing interests, and power dynamics. This theory posits that workplace politics is an inherent aspect of organizational life but becomes harmful when it undermines merit-based practices and transparency [2].

In Nigerian universities, where limited resources and competitive promotion processes prevail, this perspective explains how politically charged environments could erode motivation and productivity. Social Exchange Theory further complements this understanding by proposing that employees’ attitudes and behavior reflect the perceived quality of their relationship with the organization [11]. When organizations appear politically biased or unfair, employees may respond by reducing their commitment and engagement. In academic contexts, where equity and merit-based decision-making are expected, perceptions of imbalance in the social exchange can lead to reduced job satisfaction and increased turnover intentions.

Despite extensive research on workplace politics, several gaps persist. Many studies focus on corporate or non-academic settings, leaving the higher education sector underexplored, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria. Moreover, research in Nigeria often centers on general organizational behavior rather than examining how workplace politics specifically impacts teaching and research in academic settings. Another limitation is the scarcity of longitudinal studies that could capture the long-term consequences of workplace politics on productivity. Cross-sectional studies, while insightful, may not fully illustrate the cumulative effects of political behavior. Additionally, few studies have empirically explored the mechanisms linking workplace politics to employee outcomes such as job satisfaction, commitment, and morale.

This study aims to address these gaps by offering a focused analysis of the impact of workplace politics on academic staff productivity in Nigerian universities. Specifically, it explores factors contributing to workplace politics, such as favoritism, lack of transparency, and bureaucratic manipulation, while also proposing evidence-based recommendations for creating a fairer and more supportive work environment. Through strategies aimed at mitigating the negative effects of workplace politics, this research seeks to provide practical solutions for enhancing staff motivation, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment within Nigerian universities.

The study reveals that workplace politics significantly undermines the productivity of academic staff in Nigerian universities. The findings indicate that factors such as favoritism in promotions, lack of transparency in decision-making, and bias in the allocation of resources create a political atmosphere that erodes job satisfaction, diminishes motivation, and leads to decreased productivity. The negative impact of these political behaviors highlights the need for institutions to address the root causes of workplace politics to improve the overall work environment and staff performance.

The author contributed to the study design, theoretical formulation, computational coding, testing of the algorithm, performance evaluation, and preparation of the manuscript.

This study did not receive financial support from any governmental, industrial, or non-profit organizations.

The datasets used and analyzed in this study are fully presented within the article.

The author reports no potential conflict of interest.