Why leader empathy backfires: relative LMX and leader work meaningfulness in predicting unethical pro-organizational behaviors
研究了领导者共情如何通过提升员工的相对领导-成员交换（RLMX）来诱发不道德亲组织行为（UPB），并发现领导者的工作意义感能缓解这种负面效应。
Purpose Although leader empathy has long been argued to enhance leader–member relationships (LMX) and promote positive employee behaviors, its potential negative consequences, such as promoting unethical behaviors, remain unexplored. Drawing on social exchange theory, this study aims to examine how leader empathy can prompt employees’ unethical pro-organizational behaviors (UPB). Specifically, this study proposes that leader empathy enhances employees’ relative LMX (RLMX), which in turn facilitates UPB. Furthermore, the study theorizes that leaders’ work meaningfulness serves as a critical boundary condition, guiding employees’ ethical decisions and reducing the unethical reciprocity. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 275 Chinese hotel employees working under 58 leaders. The model was tested using multilevel modeling in Mplus. Findings The results support the mediation model, indicating that leader empathy increases UPB via RLMX. Furthermore, the moderated mediation model is supported, with the leader’s work meaningfulness mitigating the positive relationship between RLMX and employee UPB. Originality/value By demonstrating the impact of leader empathy on employee UPB, this study contributes to the research on leader empathy, highlighting its unintentional negative consequences. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to examine RLMX, providing novel insights into the leader–follower relationship within a team dynamic. It also shifts the focus of previous work on meaningfulness from employees to leaders, showing its spillover effects.