When Ethical Leaders Build Trust: How Servant Leadership Reduces Workplace Mistreatment

What is it about?

This study explores how servant leadership—a leadership style centered on serving and empowering others—reduces different forms of workplace mistreatment, including bullying, incivility, and ostracism. Drawing on social exchange theory, the authors propose that servant leaders strengthen trust in the leader, which discourages negative behaviors among employees. They also examine whether the organization’s ethical climate—the shared perception of moral standards—amplifies this effect. Using three-wave survey data from 431 employees across multiple sectors in Pakistan, the study finds that trust in the leader fully mediates the relationship between servant leadership and workplace mistreatment. Employees who trust their leaders are less likely to bully, ignore, or disrespect others, as they reciprocate the fairness and care modeled by their supervisors. Moreover, the study shows that a strong ethical climate strengthens these effects by reinforcing moral norms and trust-based interactions within teams. For organizations, the findings underscore that developing servant leaders and promoting an ethical culture are essential strategies to prevent interpersonal mistreatment. Training programs that cultivate empathy, moral awareness, and integrity among leaders can reduce toxic behaviors and foster healthier, more respectful work environments.

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Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This research is unique in uncovering the mechanism of trust in leaders as the pathway through which servant leadership mitigates multiple types of mistreatment, including bullying, incivility, and ostracism. It also reveals that ethical climate acts as a key boundary condition that magnifies the positive influence of servant leaders. Conducted in Pakistan, a context where hierarchical relationships and moral expectations are deeply rooted in workplace interactions, this study is timely as organizations worldwide face growing challenges of maintaining civility and fairness. It offers actionable insights for leaders seeking to build trust-driven, ethical workplaces where employees feel valued, respected, and motivated to collaborate constructively.