Toxic leadership: Effects on job satisfaction, commitment, turnover intention and organisational culture within the South African manufacturing industry

Abstract

Orientation: The impact of toxic leadership on employees and organisations has only recently become the focus of certain research studies.

Research purpose: The general objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between toxic leadership, job satisfaction, turnover intention and commitment. The aim further was to test whether organisation culture mediates the relationship between toxic leadership and certain job outcomes such as job satisfaction, turnover intention and commitment.

Motivation for the study: Currently, no knowledge is available on the relationships between toxic leadership and job outcomes within the context of South African manufacturing organisations. Therefore, this study provides South African organisations and researchers with an insight into such a relationship and the mentioned mediation of organisational culture in the process.

Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional research design with a sample size of N = 600 manufacturing employees was used. Product–moment correlations, multiple regression and structural equation modelling were used.

Main findings: The test results returned both direct and indirect effects for all the relationships, which indicated only partial mediation in all the tested relationships.

Practical/managerial implications: The results provided organisations’ insight into the possible consequences of toxic leadership on employees and the organisations’ culture.

Contribution/value-add: The improved understanding of toxic leadership and the relationship with certain job outcomes contributes to the body of knowledge on both the theory of toxic leadership and on employees’ experience of such leadership styles in the work environment.