Examining the effects of tyrannical leadership on workplace incivility: interplay of employee low morale and supportive organizational culture

Drawing on the conservation of resource theory, this study examined the impact of tyrannical leadership on employees' low morale and workplace incivility. It also examined the mediating role of employee low morale and moderating role of supportive organizational culture. A multi-wave time-lagged study was conducted with 456 employees in the Chinese corporate sector. Hayes PROCESS models and AMOS were used to test the hypothesized model. The results supported the hypotheses and demonstrated a positive relationship between tyrannical leadership, employee low morale and workplace incivility. Furthermore, employee low morale was found to mediate the relationship between tyrannical leadership and workplace incivility. The presence of a supportive organizational culture was found to moderate this mediation, leading to lower levels of workplace incivility. This study highlights the detrimental effects of tyrannical leadership on employee morale and workplace incivility. However, it also recognizes the potential for organizations to mitigate these negative consequences through the establishment of a supportive organizational culture. The findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of leadership and employee behavior, and provide practical implications for organizations aiming to address the negative outcomes associated with tyrannical leadership.