Toxic Encounters at Work: Does Bullying Fuel Moral Disengagement and Turnover Intentions?

The detrimental effects of workplace bullying on employees are underexplored; therefore, in the lens of the conservation of resources theory, this research aims to assess the impact of workplace bullying on moral disengagement and employee turnover intention, mediated by psychological strain, based on the perceptions of female bank employees in a male-dominated society such as Bangladesh. Our study collected data from 365 female employees in the banking industry in Bangladesh, using a time-lagged design, and analysed the data using SmartPLS. Our results find that workplace bullying has a notable effect on moral disengagement and turnover intention, as well as on both dimensions of psychological strain (anxiety and depression). Anxiety and depression mediate the association between workplace bullying and its effects. The present study makes a unique contribution to the literature by focusing on female employees in the banking sector and exploring the impact of workplace bullying on moral disengagement and turnover intentions. It also highlights the mediating role of anxiety and depression.