From bad bosses to weakened marriages: the role of abusive supervision in emotional exhaustion, work–family conflict and marital strain

Purpose The study aims to explore and test the relationship between abusive supervision, emotional exhaustion, work–family conflict and divorce intentions among employees in the hospitality industry. Specifically, it investigates how abusive supervision leads to emotional exhaustion, which in turn intensifies work–family conflict and ultimately influences divorce intentions. Design/methodology/approach The study used a mixed-methods design with an exploratory sequential approach. In the first phase, qualitative interviews with hotel employees explored the effects of abusive supervision on work and family life. Findings from these interviews informed the development of a framework for the second phase, which quantitatively tested the relationships between abusive supervision, emotional exhaustion, work–family conflict and intention to divorce. Findings Our findings revealed that abusive supervision causes emotional exhaustion, which in turn leads to work–family conflict. However, we did not find any significant link between work–family conflict and the intention to divorce. Originality/value To the best of our knowledge, this study is among the first studies to explore the outcomes of abusive supervision using the mixed method approach, specifically the exploratory sequential design, to comprehensively examine the associations among abusive supervision, emotional exhaustion, work–family conflict and marital problems. This research contributes to leadership literature by providing empirical findings on the long-term impacts of abusive supervision.