EFFECT OF WORKPLACE POLITICS ON EMPLOYEES PRODUCTIVITY AND COMMITMENT (A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED TERTIARY INSTITUTION IN LAGOS STATE)

This study investigated the effect of workplace politics on employees productivity and commitments. A case of selected Tertiary Institution in Lagos. The objectives of the study were to assess the relationship between workplace politics and employee productivity, to evaluate the effect of workplace politics on employee commitment, to examine the role of fairness and meritocracy in mitigating the negative effects of workplace politics and to examine the perceptions of favoritism, manipulation, and power dynamics affect employees' loyalty, engagement, and willingness to stay with the organization. Four (4) research questions were raised and four (4) research hypotheses were formulated. Thus, literature review was on the concept, nature, theories, and empirical review on the effect of workplace politics on employees productivity and commitments. Simple percentage was employed to analyze the responses of the questionnaire while the data was analysed using a statistical tool of Chi square analysis with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 23.0) at 5% level of significance. However, it was concluded that the pervasive nature of workplace politics was characterized by favoritism, manipulation, and power struggles significantly undermines employee productivity. Employees often become distracted and demotivated by the political environment, which detracts from their focus on academic and administrative responsibilities. It was recommended that tertiary institutions should develop and communicate clear policies regarding promotions, rewards, and recognition. Transparency in decision-making processes helps to mitigate perceptions of favoritism and bias, fostering a culture of fairness that can enhance employee trust and commitment. As well as adopting merit-based evaluation systems for promotions and rewards can help ensure that employee contributions are recognized fairly. This approach encourages staff to focus on performance and excellence rather than navigating political dynamics, which can ultimately boost productivity and engagement. Keywords: Organization Politics, favouritism, employee productivity and employee commitment.