Mediating Role of Toxic Organizational Climate in the Relationship Between Toxic Leadership Style and Job Burnout with Organizational Trauma

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Public Administration, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior Management, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.

3 Master of Public Administration, Payame Noor University, Birjand, Birjand, Iran.

4 Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22111/jmr.2024.46583.6058

Abstract

Abstract
The aim of this research is to examine and measure the mediating effect of the variable of toxic organizational climate in the relationship between the variables of toxic leadership style and job burnout on organizational trauma. This research is classified as descriptive-survey research in terms of the method used, and it is considered applied research in terms of its objectives. The sample size consists of 169 individuals from the employee community of the Social Security Organization in South Khorasan Province, selected through simple random sampling. To gather the necessary data for the research, a questionnaire was designed based on four standard questionnaires by Corner (2014), Vovien and Horman (2015), Hakak et al. (2015), and Maxwell (2015). The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed using factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha technique. Additionally, structural equation modeling and LISREL software were used to test the research hypotheses. The results indicated that the variables of toxic leadership style and job burnout have a significant impact on the variables of toxic organizational climate and organizational trauma in the Social Security Organization of South Khorasan Province. Furthermore, the mediating role of the toxic organizational climate variable in the relationship between toxic leadership style and job burnout with organizational trauma was confirmed.
Introduction
One of the topics that has gained attention in the field of organizational behavior and is considered a contributor to organizational trauma is toxic leadership (Zare & Sepahvand, 2017: 193). These leaders, suffering from managerial deficiencies and shortcomings, lose their experiential and professional competence, leading them to view their managerial positions as dependent on other connected managers. They are intolerant of accepting constructive criticism within the organizational system and suppress any critical thinking through authoritarianism and threats (Schmidt, 2008: 19). Another influential factor in organizational trauma is the phenomenon of job stagnation (Mirkamali et al., 2018: 4). Job stagnation refers to a point in an individual's career path where the likelihood of advancement in the organizational hierarchy is very low (Ahmadi & Nadi, 2019). On the other hand, research indicates that a healthy organizational climate can significantly enhance employee motivation, encourage participation in decision-making, improve morale, foster creativity and innovation, and create an entrepreneurial environment (Heydari et al., 2018: 68). Conversely, an unhealthy organizational climate can serve as a significant source of psychological pressure. When psychological pressures within an organization increase, they can threaten organizational goals, lead to resource depletion, and ultimately reduce the quality of employee performance (Zare et al., 2017: 25). Given that neglecting organizational trauma can inflict serious damage on an organization and may be detrimental, identifying the factors that contribute to organizational trauma and finding ways to mitigate it is of great importance. This is especially true as many organizations, including the Social Security Organization, are moving toward stagnation, making job stagnation an unavoidable issue. The present study seeks to answer the question of whether a toxic organizational climate can act as a mediating variable that influences the relationship between toxic leadership style and job stagnation with organizational trauma.
Case study
The statistical population of this research consists of the employees of the Social Security Organization of South Khorasan.
Materials and Methods
The research questionnaire has been designed based on Corner's (2014) theoretical model regarding job stagnation, and another questionnaire is based on Maxwell's (2015) theoretical model concerning toxic leadership. Additionally, a questionnaire based on the theoretical model of Hekak et al. (2016) has been developed regarding toxic organizational climate, and another questionnaire based on the theoretical model of Wu and Horman (2015) has been created concerning organizational trauma. This questionnaire includes 26 items with a five-point Likert scale. Furthermore, this study employs structural equation modeling and the LISREL software to examine the validity of the research hypotheses.
Discussion and Results
All hypotheses of the present study were confirmed, as their path coefficients were greater than 1.96 and their significance levels were less than 0.05. To test the hypotheses with mediating effects, the Sobel test was used, and the results also indicate the confirmation of these hypotheses.
Conclusion
According to the first hypothesis of the research, job stagnation has a significant impact on organizational trauma. In this regard, it is recommended that the managers of the Social Security Organization of South Khorasan create conditions for hierarchical promotions for their employees. Based on the second hypothesis, the toxic leadership style significantly affects organizational trauma. This means that the more leaders ignore their employees and fail to value them, the more they cause psychological harm to both the employees and the organization, leading to the emergence of organizational trauma. According to the third hypothesis, job stagnation significantly affects the toxic organizational climate. In fact, a healthy organizational climate can lead to improved performance and organizational interactions. According to the fourth hypothesis, the toxic leadership style affects the toxic organizational climate. In this context, it is suggested that the managers of the Social Security Organization of South Khorasan create job security and independence for their employees. According to the fifth hypothesis, the toxic organizational climate impacts organizational trauma. In this regard, it is recommended that the managers foster a healthy environment within the organization characterized by warmth and a focus on participative leadership rather than authoritarian and directive approaches. According to the sixth hypothesis, job stagnation significantly affects organizational trauma with the mediating role of the toxic organizational climate. Therefore, it is advised that the managers of the Social Security Organization of South Khorasan do their best to prevent employees from collectively experiencing the shocks and traumas inflicted on the organization. According to the seventh hypothesis, the toxic leadership style significantly affects organizational trauma with the mediating role of the toxic organizational climate. In this context, it is recommended that the managers of the Social Security Organization of South Khorasan work to prevent despair and hopelessness within the organization.

Keywords

References

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