Unethical Leader Behavior and Employee Silence: Mediating Role of Moral Anger

Abstract

Emotions play significant role in shaping subsequent attitude and behavior. However, prior studies on prevalence of employee silence over growing incidents of unethical leader behavior in organizations has paid limited attention to the role of emotions. We investigated the relationship between unethical leader behavior and employee quiescent silence through mediating role of moral anger. Drawing upon Affect Theory of Social Exchange, we propose that unethical leader behavior will elicit emotions, which in turn will provoke employee silence, depending upon intensity of the emotions. We theorize that unethical leader behavior will trigger moral anger, which will further shape employee quiescent silence. Data were collected at three time intervals with 3-4 weeks lag, from 306 respondents employed in public and private sector hospitals located in country’s capital-Islamabad and KPK’s provincial capital- Peshawar. Analysis of results reveal that moral anger mediated the relationship between unethical leader behavior and employee silence. Findings contribute to existing literature through highlighting the significance of emotions in shaping employee silence over unethical leader behavior. The study broadens theoretical understanding of the potential underlying mechanism of employee silence over unethical leader behavior, which carries significant managerial and contextual implications.