When Fairness Backfires: How Organizational Justice Amplifies the Strain of Leader–Member Exchange Ambivalence

This research examines how leader-member exchange ambivalence (LMXA) affects employee emotional exhaustion. It investigates the mediating role of workplace sense of control and the moderating effects of interactional justice. Based on Fairness Heuristic Theory, this research proposes that high organizational justice amplifies rather than buffers LMXA's detrimental effects due to violated fairness expectations. Data from 511 Chinese employees were collected through a two-phase survey and analyzed using moderated mediation analysis. Results show that LMXA positively relates to emotional exhaustion through reduced workplace sense of control, and interactional justice strengthens this indirect effect. The negative impact of LMXA on workplace sense of control increases when justice levels are high, consequently increasing emotional exhaustion. These findings reveal a paradoxical effect of organizational justice, challenging assumptions about its universally positive function. This research contributes by demonstrating that fair organizational systems could backfire when combined with inconsistent leadership. The findings provide insights into how employees manage relational uncertainty and highlight the importance of leadership consistency in organizations.