ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN DEPOSIT MONEY BANKS IN BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA

This study investigates the impact of organizational politics on employee task efficiency within Deposit Money Banks in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Focusing on perceived favoritism, influence tactics, and political behavior, the research examines their effects on employees' ability to perform tasks efficiently. A descriptive survey design was employed, with data collected from 86 employees across ten selected banks using a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics and Spearman’s Rank Correlation were used to analyze the data. Findings reveal significant negative correlations between task efficiency and perceived favoritism (ρ = -0.470, p = 0.001), influence tactics (ρ = -0.290, p = 0.007), and political behavior (ρ = -0.520, p < 0.001). These results indicate that organizational politics substantially undermines task efficiency by fostering inequity, mistrust, and disengagement. Grounded in Social Exchange, Resource Dependency, and Expectancy theories, the study highlights the need for transparent, merit-based policies to mitigate political behaviors and enhance productivity. The study recommends institutionalizing fair promotion systems, fostering ethical influence training, and promoting cross-functional collaboration to curb political interference and bolster operational efficiency in Bayelsa State’s banking sector.