Connecting the dots of Ethical Leadership and Job Satisfaction: Moderated Mediation Effect of Co-Worker Undermining and Employee Engagement.

Abstract

In the past studies, numerous scholars have given their focus to examining the impact of
ethical leadership on the organization’s work outcomes. This study investigates the influence of
coworker undermining between ethical leadership and employees’ engagement and draws the
Social Rule Theory in a broader perspective for reducing the negative social interaction in the
workplace. The purpose of this study is to check the effect of social undermining on the work
outcomes of the organization by analyzing the job satisfaction of employees. We suggested that
ethical leadership would be more influential on the employees’ engagement (cognitive, affective,
and emotional) by using another theory, Social Learning Theory, which will engage the employees
with their organization and promote a high level of satisfaction the employees with their jobs.
Coworker undermining is assessed as a moderator between ethical leadership and employees’
engagement it is highly problematic for leaders when it will exist in their workplace. For analysis
of the model, administrated 515 questionnaires were used which were collected from the employees
working in educational institutions. Cross-sectional and non-Probability Convenience sampling
technique was used for the data collection. The finding of our study has a fruitful effect on
enhancing the employees’ engagement by using effective ethical leadership and reducing the effect
of coworker undermining. However, employees’ engagement has a significant relationship between
ethical leadership and job satisfaction but another hand positive effects will be disappeared in these
relations due to the existence of coworker undermining between mediators and ethical leadership.