The present study was conducted with the aim of examining the reciprocal link between organizational cronyism and workplace deviant behavior, through testing a structural model of negligence among employees of Hakim Sabzevari University. The research method was descriptive–correlational, specifically based on structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population consisted of all permanent employees of Hakim Sabzevari University during the second academic semester of 2024–2025. Using simple random sampling and based on Morgan’s table, a sample of 152 employees was selected. For preliminary validation of the questionnaire, a pilot test was conducted with 40 participants. Content validity was confirmed by experts and specialists, while reliability was assessed through Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, which were 0.87 for organizational cronyism, 0.69 for workplace deviant behavior, and 0.77 for negligence. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and LISREL software. The findings revealed that organizational cronyism, both directly and indirectly through negligence, plays a significant role in the occurrence of deviant workplace behaviors among employees of Hakim Sabzevari University. Furthermore, the reciprocal relationship between workplace deviant behavior and negligence was found to be significant and was empirically supported.