Identification and Prioritization of Factors Affecting the Prevention of Toxic Behaviors Among Employees in Public Organizations

Rahimi, Zahra; Bahramzadeh, Hosseinali; Shojaee, Samereh

doi:10.22034/obs.2026.2092259.3696

Identification and Prioritization of Factors Affecting the Prevention of Toxic Behaviors Among Employees in Public Organizations

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

zahra rahimi ¹

hosseinali bahramzadeh ²

samereh shojaee ¹

¹ Department of Management, AK.C., Islamic Azad University, Aliabad Katoul, Iran

² Department of Management, Boj.C., Islamic Azad University, Bojnord, Iran.

10.22034/obs.2026.2092259.3696

Abstract

The present study aimed to identify and prioritize the factors affecting the prevention of toxic behaviors among employees in public organizations. This research was applied in terms of purpose and qualitative in terms of method. In the first stage, the factors were identified through semi-structured interviews with 10 academic and executive experts from North Khorasan Province and analyzed using thematic analysis. Then, in the second stage, interpretive structural modeling was used, with Excel software, to prioritize the identified factors. The results showed that the factors affecting the prevention of toxic behaviors among employees consisted of 5 overarching themes, 14 organizing themes, and 72 basic themes, which were arranged across six levels. In addition, MICMAC analysis showed that the organizing themes of “certainty and the existence of legal frameworks,” “effectiveness of supervisory systems,” “democratic and flexible hierarchical structure,” “absence of environmental pressures,” and “leadership style” were placed in the independent cluster. Overall, the findings indicate that these factors, especially “certainty and the existence of legal frameworks,” “leadership style,” and “democratic and flexible hierarchical structure,” act as driving forces in the model for preventing toxic behaviors among employees in public organizations.

Keywords

Prevention

Toxic behaviors among employees

Public organizations

Subjects