Ethical leadership, interpersonal justice and newcomer adjustment: an uncertainty management perspective

Purpose Grounded in uncertainty management theory, this research explores the mechanisms through which ethical leadership influences newcomer adjustment. We propose that ethical leadership enhances newcomer adjustment by fostering their perceptions of interpersonal justice. Additionally, we suggest that organizational formalization negatively moderate this relationship, with lower levels of perceived formalization intensifying the impact of ethical leadership on interpersonal justice. Design/methodology/approach To empirically test our theoretical model, we conducted two studies. Study 1 involved a three-phase questionnaire survey with 270 newcomers. Study 2 employed a scenario-based experimental design with 215 participants, and the statistical analysis confirmed our hypotheses. Findings The findings indicated that interpersonal justice mediated the positive effects of ethical leadership on newcomer adjustment, and organizational formalization negatively moderated this mediation. The results of these studies contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamics affecting newcomers’ adjustment and elucidate the psychological mechanisms by which ethical leadership facilitates this process through uncertainty management. Research limitations/implications Study 1 relies solely on self-reported data from newcomers, collected in three stages to differentiate between independent and dependent variables. Although study 2 utilized reading text materials as a stimulus for experimental intervention, the divergence from real-life scenarios may limit the ecological validity. Additionally, future studies should adopt a dynamic perspective to capture these fluctuations. Originality/value These insights are particularly valuable for enhancing corporate management practices aimed at helping newcomers acclimate to their work environments more effectively.