From Organizational Politics to Quiet Quitting: Mediating Roles of Psychological Contract Breach and Perceived Job Security in a Federal University in Nigeria

Employees do not always respond to dysfunctional workplaces by leaving; increasingly, they remain in their jobs while quietly withdrawing the discretionary effort that organizations depend on. Little is known about why some employees respond to political work environments in this way. Drawing on Psychological Contract Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory, this study examined whether psychological contract breach (PCB) and perceived job security (PJS) explain how perceived organizational politics (POPS) translates into quiet quitting (QQ). A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 147 employees drawn from a convenience sample at a selected federal university in Nigeria. Data were analyzed using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 4). The findings revealed that POPS significantly predicted QQ (β = 0.51, p < 0.001). When both mediators were entered simultaneously, the direct effect remained significant (β = 0.43, p < 0.001), indicating partial mediation. PCB significantly mediated the relationship between POPS and QQ (β = 0.079, 95% CI [0.0151, 0.1401]), whereas PJS did not. Although POPS was positively associated with PJS (β = 0.09, p < 0.001), PJS did not significantly predict QQ. These findings indicate that employees withdraw discretionary effort primarily because organizational politics signals a failure to fulfil implicit employment obligations, rather than because of concerns about job security. To reduce QQ, organizations need to move beyond preserving employment security and strengthen fulfilment of psychological contract obligations.