Linking work meaningfulness to reciprocal knowledge hiding: the mediation of happiness and moderation of servant leadership

Purpose This study aims to examine how work meaningfulness reduces reciprocal knowledge hiding (RKH) in the public sector, focusing on the mediating role of happiness at work and the moderating effect of servant leadership. Design/methodology/approach Survey data from 171 UAE public sector employees, drawn from multiple government agencies, was analysed using structural equation modelling. The moderated mediation index was −0.05. Findings Work meaningfulness was negatively related to RKH, and this effect was partly mediated by happiness. Servant leadership moderated the work meaningfulness-happiness link, but the effect size was small (f² ≈ 0.01). Practical implications Results suggest that fostering meaningful work and supporting employee happiness can substantially reduce retaliatory knowledge behaviours, while leadership interventions may need to be targeted to relational, citizen-facing roles. Originality/value This study contributes a contextual and configurational perspective by linking meaningful work, happiness and leadership to knowledge hiding in a non-Western public sector setting.