Coping with workplace bullying and emotional exhaustion: role of work engagement, loyalty, promotional opportunities and perceived social support

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationship between workplace bullying and job satisfaction. Using conservation of resources (COR) and Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theories, a conceptual model is developed integrating four crucial constructs: work engagement, loyalty, promotional opportunities and perceived social support. The model explains the workplace bullying-job satisfaction conundrum. Design/methodology/approach To test the hypothesized relationships, data were collected from 410 employees working in various sectors – information technology, manufacturing, academic institutions, accounting and audit companies – from different parts of India and analyzed after checking the psychometric properties of the measures, PROCESS macros were used to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings The findings supported (i) the negative effect of workplace bullying on emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction, (ii) the mediating role of emotional exhaustion between workplace bullying and job satisfaction and (iii) the negative effect of emotional exhaustion on job satisfaction. The results also supported three-way interaction hypotheses. This study found that perceived social support (first moderator) and promotional opportunities (second moderator) interact with workplace bullying to influence job satisfaction mediated through emotional exhaustion. This research also supported another moderated mediation hypothesis: emotional exhaustion interacting with work engagement (first moderator) and loyalty (second moderator) influencing job satisfaction. Research limitations/implications This study helps administrators and policymakers devise actionable strategies to reduce bullying behavior and improve organizational climate, especially in developing countries such as India. Originality/value This study is the first to combine two complementary theories [COR and JD-R] in integrating four important constructs that help mitigate the ill effects of workplace bullying. The three-way interactions between (i) workplace bullying, perceived social support (first moderator) and promotional opportunities (second moderator) in influencing job satisfaction mediated through emotional exhaustion, and (ii) emotional exhaustion, work engagement (first moderator), and loyalty (second moderator) influencing job satisfaction, are original contributions. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the conceptual model is the first of its kind that makes a pivotal contribution to the burgeoning literature on workplace bullying.