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Effects of Leader Conscientiousness and Ethical Leadership on Employee Turnover Intention: The Mediating Role of Individual Ethical Climate and Emotional Exhaustion

Author

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  • Tajneen Affnaan Saleh

    (Faculty of Management, Malaysia Multimedia University, Cyberjaya 63100, Malaysia)

  • Abdullah Sarwar

    (Faculty of Management, Malaysia Multimedia University, Cyberjaya 63100, Malaysia)

  • Md. Amirul Islam

    (Faculty of Management, Malaysia Multimedia University, Cyberjaya 63100, Malaysia)

  • Muhammad Mohiuddin

    (Faculty of Business Administration, Lval University, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada)

  • Zhan Su

    (Faculty of Business Administration, Lval University, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada)

Abstract

Employees working under conscientious leadership perceive their leaders as ethical leaders. This study investigates the conscientiousness of leaders as an essential trait of ethical leadership and the relationship between ethical leadership and employee-turnover intention. Additionally, we study the potential mediating roles of the individual-level ethical climate (self-interest, friendship, and personal morality) as well as the level of employees’ emotional exhaustion that contribute to the decision-making process of turnover intention. Building on social learning and social exchange theories, outcomes from nine industrial manufacturing organizations comprising 260 subordinates’ responses show that leaders’ conscientiousness is positively related to ethical leadership and negatively associated with employees’ turnover intention. Consistent with this hypotheses, results found that, in an individual-level ethical climate, employees experience diminished emotional exhaustion. The relationships are found to mediate between ethical leadership and turnover intention in manufacturing organizations. Additionally, it was also found that individual-level ethical climates cause a relatively positive impact on employees’ emotional exhaustion leading them to lower turnover intention.

Suggested Citation

  • Tajneen Affnaan Saleh & Abdullah Sarwar & Md. Amirul Islam & Muhammad Mohiuddin & Zhan Su, 2022. "Effects of Leader Conscientiousness and Ethical Leadership on Employee Turnover Intention: The Mediating Role of Individual Ethical Climate and Emotional Exhaustion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:15:p:8959-:d:869782
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rita Paralta & Eduardo Simões & Ana Patrícia Duarte, 2023. "Subjective Well-Being in Organizations: Effects of Internal Ethical Context and Ethical Leadership," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-17, March.

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