Toxic leadership and turnover intention: Does gender matter? Evidence from a North African country

Purpose Drawing on the psychological contract, conservation of resources, and gender role theories, this study investigates the impact of toxic leadership on follower turnover and whether this relationship is moderated by gender. Design/methodology/approach The proposed model was tested on 195 Tunisian workers. The data were analyzed using multigroup analyses in AMOS. Findings As expected, the results supported the main effect relationship between toxic leadership and follower turnover. However, gender did not significantly moderate this relationship, revealing no notable differences between men and women. Research limitations/implications This study acknowledges certain limitations, including its cross-sectional design, reliance on self-reported data, the use of turnover intention rather than actual turnover, and the sectoral heterogeneity of the sample. Future research could adopt longitudinal designs, include leader gender, and examine actual turnover behaviors within specific industry contexts. Practical implications Managers should pay close attention to the potentially harmful consequences of toxic leadership and intervene to mitigate its impact on turnover intentions for men and women equally. Originality/value This study is among the first examining the impact of toxic leadership on turnover intention through the lens of gender in a MENA (Middle East and North Africa) country. It suggests including contextual and socio-cultural factors to better explain and relativize the impact of toxic leadership on employees' intention to quit. By doing so, the study highlights the growing interest in diverging from the leader-centric approach, which focuses on the dysfunctional traits of leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the toxic leadership process.