Exploitative leadership and helping behavior among employees: exploring dual mediation pathways

Purpose Grounded in conservation of resources theory, this study aims to investigate how leaders’ destructive behavior hinders employees’ helping behavior (EHB) by focusing on exploitative leadership (EL) within the hospitality sector in Pakistan. Additionally, it investigates the mediating roles of job dissatisfaction and distrust in the relationship between EL and EHB. Design/methodology/approach A total of 341 valid questionnaires were collected from frontline employees working in three-stars, four-star and five-star hotels across Pakistan. SPSS and AMOS were utilized to analyze the data and test the proposed model. Findings The results reveal that EL has a significant negative impact on EHB. Furthermore, job dissatisfaction and distrust are confirmed as mediators in the relationship between EL leadership and EHB. Practical implications The findings highlight that organizational policymakers should recognize the detrimental effects of EL on EHB. They should formulate and implement policies rigorously to mitigate these adverse impacts. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature in three key ways. First, it is among the pioneering studies to explore the negative effects of EL on EHB. Second, it identifies a dual mediation mechanism through job dissatisfaction and distrust, explaining the indirect link between EL and EHB. Finally, it is one of the first studies to examine these interconnected relationships specifically within the hospitality industry.