Constructive deviance in the workplace: new developments and lingering questions

Employee deviance is often viewed as behavior that must be deterred and punished in organizations. However, constructive deviance is rule-breaking that is conducted by employees with honorable intentions, often to draw attention to outdated rules or norms or areas for improved efficiency. This chapter reviews the state of the research on constructive deviance by exploring the construct domain and the known antecedents and motivational mechanisms. We further posit important questions about constructive deviance that remain unanswered and provide implications for management.