Email this article 
Hide
Show all
Original Research
Toxic leadership: Effects on job satisfaction, commitment, turnover intention and organisational culture within the South African manufacturing industry
Submitted: 10 February 2020 | Published: 13 July 2020
About the author(s)
Amelda Paltu, School of Human Resource Sciences, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South AfricaMarissa Brouwers, School of Human Resource Sciences, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
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.
Keywords
Metrics
Total abstract views: 12700Total article views: 18738
Crossref Citations
1. Job satisfaction and turnover intention: A comprehensive review of the shared determinants
Swati Jogi, Kamal Kant Vashisth, Supriya Srivastava, Bráulio Alturas, Devesh Kumar
Human Systems Management vol: 44 issue: 3 first page: 379 year: 2025
doi: 10.1177/01672533241303286
2. Sağlık Çalışanlarında Toksik Liderlik Davranışlarının Örgütsel Sessizlik Üzerindeki Etkisini Belirlemeye Yönelik Bir Çalışma
Sibel Aybar, Feride Akaçin
Bartın Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi vol: 16 issue: 31 first page: 19 year: 2025
doi: 10.47129/bartiniibf.1558710
3. Digital transformation: A model of transformational leadership in an organisation
Sello E. Mmakau, Tebogo Sethibe
South African journal of information management vol: 28 issue: 1 year: 2026
doi: 10.4102/SAJIM.v28i1.2057
4. Container Port Employees’ Organizational Culture Perception, Job Satisfaction & Intention to Stay at Work
Nihan SENBURSA
Marine Science and Technology Bulletin vol: 12 issue: 1 first page: 12 year: 2023
doi: 10.33714/masteb.1217277
5. Peranan Koping Stres sebagai Moderator antara Toxic Leadership terhadap Turnover Intention pada Pekerja Milenial
Cheryl Graciana Yulianto, Fajrianthi, Samian
INSAN Jurnal Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental vol: 9 issue: 1 first page: 59 year: 2024
doi: 10.20473/jpkm.v9i12024.59-81
6. Toxic Leadership: A Slow Poison Killing Women Leaders in Higher Education in South Africa?
Tessie H. H. Herbst, Therese Roux
Higher Education Policy vol: 36 issue: 1 first page: 164 year: 2023
doi: 10.1057/s41307-021-00250-0
7. Modelling employee retention in small and medium-sized enterprises and large enterprises in a dynamically changing business environment
Martin Gelencsér, Zsolt Sandor Kőmüves, Gábor Hollósy-Vadász, Gábor Szabó-Szentgróti
International Journal of Organizational Analysis vol: 33 issue: 5 first page: 1006 year: 2025
doi: 10.1108/IJOA-09-2023-3961
8. Authentic leadership and psychological well-being: The role of organisational support
Deon J. Kleynhans, Marita M. Heyns, Tessa De Wet
SA Journal of Human Resource Management vol: 23 year: 2025
doi: 10.4102/sajhrm.v23i0.3057
9. The Mediating Role of Burnout Syndrome in Toxic Leadership and Job Satisfaction in Organizations
Olkan Budak, Nurgül Erdal
South East European Journal of Economics and Business vol: 17 issue: 2 first page: 1 year: 2022
doi: 10.2478/jeb-2022-0011
10. Demografik ve Mesleki Özelliklere Göre Hemşirelerin Karanlık Liderlik Algısının İncelenmesi: Bir Üniversite Hastanesi Örneği
Ahmet İhsan Üstündağ, Fatma Azizoğlu
Haliç Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi vol: 9 issue: 1 first page: 63 year: 2026
doi: 10.48124/husagbilder.1760780
11. The challenge of toxic leadership in realising Sustainable Development Goals: A scoping review
Linda Ronnie
SA Journal of Human Resource Management vol: 22 year: 2024
doi: 10.4102/sajhrm.v22i0.2754
12. The Impact of Toxic Leadership on Nurse Retention: A Scoping Review
Eleni Tsapnidou, Maria Moudatsou, George Katharakis, Sofia Koukouli, Michael Rovithis, Martha Kelesi, Areti Stavropoulou
Healthcare vol: 13 issue: 18 first page: 2341 year: 2025
doi: 10.3390/healthcare13182341
13. Investigating turnover intention in a financial organisation in Gauteng
Gloria S. Tshwane, Molefe J. Maleka, Portia M. Tladi
SA Journal of Human Resource Management vol: 21 year: 2023
doi: 10.4102/sajhrm.v21i0.2177
14. ADAPTING LEADERSHIP STYLE FOR FLEXIBLE WORK ENVIRONMENT: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Priya, Neha Sinha, Priyanka Modanwal
ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts vol: 5 issue: 7 year: 2024
doi: 10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i7.2024.6123
15. Voluntary turnover of high achievers: A systems psychodynamics analysis with CIBART
Calum B. McComb, Antoni Barnard
SA Journal of Industrial Psychology vol: 50 year: 2024
doi: 10.4102/sajip.v50i0.2212
16. Dark clouds of leadership: causes and consequences of toxic leadership
Adebisi Inako Akinyele, Ziguang Chen
International Studies of Management & Organization vol: 55 issue: 4 first page: 476 year: 2025
doi: 10.1080/00208825.2024.2442185
17. SESSİZ İSTİFANIN İŞTEN AYRILMA NİYETİNE ETKİSİ: ÇAĞRI MERKEZİ ÇALIŞANLARINA YÖNELİK BİR ARAŞTIRMA
Dursun Boz
Dumlupınar Üniversitesi İİBF Dergisi issue: 13 first page: 1 year: 2024
doi: 10.58627/dpuiibf.1455202
18. Toxic leadership and turnover intention: Does gender matter? Evidence from a North African country
Dhouha Rhodesly, Emna Gara Bach Ouerdian, Nadia Ben Sassi
Journal of Management Development vol: 44 issue: 6 first page: 793 year: 2025
doi: 10.1108/JMD-10-2024-0363
19. MEDIATING EFFECTS OF EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT IN RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOXIC LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYEES’ PERFORMANCE
Muhammad Rahman Khan, Hamid Khan, Sajjad Ahmad Jan, Aziz Javad, Aman Ullah Khattak
Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews vol: 9 issue: 4 first page: 56 year: 2021
doi: 10.18510/hssr.2021.949
20. Linking leaders' toxic leadership behaviors to employee attitudes and behaviors
Ozan Buyukyilmaz, Cihan Kara
Serbian Journal of Management vol: 19 issue: 2 first page: 393 year: 2024
doi: 10.5937/sjm19-43650
21. Impact of Toxic Leadership on Employee Performance
Christian Wiradendi Wolor, Ardiansyah Ardiansyah, Rofi Rofaida, Ahmad Nurkhin, Mahmoud Ali Rababah
Health Psychology Research vol: 10 issue: 4 first page: 1 year: 2022
doi: 10.52965/001c.57551
22. Investigating toxic leadership’s influence on employee turnover intention in a clinical research organisation
Sophie D. Jantjies, Petrus A. Botha
SA Journal of Human Resource Management vol: 22 year: 2024
doi: 10.4102/sajhrm.v22i0.2571
23. Take Care of Librarians to Take Care of Library Patrons: Factors Influencing Retention of Librarians in Public Libraries in South Africa
Selatswa Masenya, Mpho Ngoepe
Public Library Quarterly first page: 1 year: 2025
doi: 10.1080/01616846.2025.2503127
24. Unveiling the toxic leadership culture in south African universities: authoritarian behaviour, cronyism and self-serving practices
Olaniyi J. Olabiyi, Marieta Du Plessis, Carel Jansen Van Vuuren
Frontiers in Education vol: 9 year: 2024
doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1446935
25. Toxic leadership, overwork and stress: review and integration of the last 15 years
Ruchi Mishra, Lalatendu Kesari Jena
Leadership & Organization Development Journal vol: 46 issue: 5 first page: 697 year: 2025
doi: 10.1108/LODJ-02-2025-0140
26. Exploring toxic leadership in organizations through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis
Sarinthree Udchachone, Udin Udin, Vissanu Zumitzavan
Discover Sustainability vol: 7 issue: 1 year: 2025
doi: 10.1007/s43621-025-02360-w