A.P KADIRI

This study investigated the relationship between organisational silence and deviant workplace behaviour among non-academic staff of the University of Benin. The research sought to identify how different forms of silence, acquiescent, defensive, prosocial, and supervisor silence climate affect the tendency of employees to engage in deviant behaviours at work. A descriptive survey design was employed, and data were collected from ninety-two valid responses through structured questionnaires administered to non- academic staff. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, standard deviation, correlation, and multiple regression through SPSS. The findings revealed that organisational silence was prevalent among non-academic employees, with prosocial silence (M = 3.97) being the most dominant dimension. Deviant workplace behaviour was generally low, with interpersonal deviance (M = 1.88) and organisational deviance (M = 2.11) recording minimal occurrences. Regression results (R = 0.732, R² = 0.535, F = 26.185, p < 0.05) indicated that organisational silence significantly predicts deviant workplace behaviour. Specifically, acquiescent silence (p = 0.000), defensive silence (p = 0.001), and prosocial silence (p = 0.031) were found to negatively influence workplace deviance, while supervisor silence climate (p = 0.001) had a significantly positive effect, implying that restrictive supervisory communication fosters deviant tendencies. The study concludes that organisational silence meaningfully affects behavioural outcomes among non-academic staff. While silence driven by prosocial or self-restraint motives may promote harmony, silence stemming from fear or xi supervisor repression contributes to deviant workplace conduct. The research recommends fostering an open communication culture, strengthening supervisor, employee trust, and establishing supportive feedback systems to mitigate silence-induced deviance. Keywords: Organisational Silence, Deviant Workplace Behaviour, Acquiescent Silence, Defensive Silence, Prosocial Silence, Supervisor Silence Climate, Non-Academic Staff, University of Benin