Presenteeism and Emotional Exhaustion as Mechanisms Linking Abusive Leadership to Non-Green Behavior in Hotel Enterprises: The Buffering Role of Co-Worker Support

TL;DR

Abusive leadership in hotels leads to non-green employee behavior through emotional exhaustion and presenteeism, but co-worker support can reduce these negative effects.

Contribution

This study integrates COR and JD-R theories to reveal how abusive leadership undermines sustainability via emotional exhaustion and presenteeism.

Findings

Abusive leadership increases emotional exhaustion and presenteeism, which in turn lead to non-green behavior.

Emotional exhaustion fully mediates the link between abusive leadership and non-green behavior.

Perceived co-worker support buffers the effect of presenteeism on emotional exhaustion.

Abstract

This study examines how abusive leadership influences non-green behavior among employees in five-star hotels in Egypt, drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) model. Using survey data collected from 400 full-time hotel employees, the study investigates the mediating roles of emotional exhaustion and presenteeism, as well as the moderating role of perceived co-worker support. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the proposed relationships. The results indicate that abusive leadership increases emotional exhaustion and presenteeism, both of which contribute to higher levels of non-green behavior. Emotional exhaustion mediates the relationship between abusive leadership and non-green behavior, while presenteeism partially mediates the link between abusive leadership and emotional exhaustion. Additionally, perceived co-worker support buffers the negative effect of presenteeism on emotional exhaustion. By integrating COR and JD–R perspectives, this study advances understanding of the psychological mechanisms through which abusive leadership undermines environmentally responsible behavior. The findings offer practical insights for hospitality managers seeking to promote employee well-being and sustainability in high-pressure service environments.

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