When Obedience Backfires: How Deference Fuels Unethical Loyalty at Work

What is it about?

This study examines how employees’ deference to leader authority—their tendency to obey and please organizational leaders unconditionally—can lead to unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the research argues that deference provides employees with personal energy and motivation to protect the organization, even through morally questionable acts, because they perceive such actions as rewarding or self-preserving. Using survey data from 350 healthcare employees in Canada, the study finds that deference to leader authority increases UPB, especially when certain personal and organizational resources amplify this tendency. Specifically, employees who are greedy, proactive, enjoy high workplace status, or work in environments with frequent job rotation are more likely to convert their obedience into unethical acts—such as hiding damaging information or misrepresenting facts to protect their organization. These findings highlight how both personality traits and workplace structures can shape the dark side of loyalty. While deference often reflects respect for authority, under particular conditions it becomes a psychological resource that drives employees to defend their leaders at any cost. Managers should therefore be cautious of excessive hierarchical obedience, as it can inadvertently promote actions that damage both the organization’s reputation and its ethical climate.

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Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study makes a unique contribution by identifying deference to leader authority as a previously overlooked driver of unethical pro-organizational behavior. Using COR theory, it reconceptualizes obedience as an energizing yet risky resource that can prompt employees to act unethically in defense of their leaders and organizations. The inclusion of four moderating factors—dispositional greed, proactive personality, workplace status, and job rotation—adds nuance, showing that such behavior arises not simply from moral failure, but from complex, resource-driven dynamics of compliance and ambition. It is also timely, as organizations increasingly emphasize commitment, loyalty, and proactive engagement. This research offers a crucial warning that unchecked deference can develop into destructive obedience, especially among greedy or proactive employees and in high-status or dynamic work environments. The study provides valuable insights for leaders striving to maintain ethical integrity while encouraging initiative and respect, highlighting the need for balanced authority relations and transparent communication to prevent well-intentioned employees from crossing moral boundaries.