Beneficial role of altruistic leadership to employee stay in organization: organizational cynicism as a mediator and caring and instrumental climates as moderators

Purpose Altruistic leaders represent a supportive and employee needs-focused type of leadership. Therefore, it is important to explore how altruistic leaders influence subordinates' attitudes toward the organization and turnover intentions on the grounds of social exchange and situational strength theory. This study aims to test the mechanisms underlying the link between altruistic leadership and turnover intentions, with organizational cynicism as a mediator and ethical climate as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach The cross-sectional research was conducted in a sample of 434 full-time employees from Poland. Findings The more altruistic leadership manifestations employees experienced, the less cynical they were in the workplace, which in turn was related to more propensity motivation to leave an organization. It was found that an instrumental ethical climate dampens the negative relationship between altruistic leadership and turnover intentions. Research limitations/implications The beneficial implications of developing altruistic leadership for attitude toward the organization were discussed. The cross-sectional, not longitudinal, method used in the study does not allow for presenting the outcomes from a cause-effect perspective. Originality/value It was the first attempt to examine the beneficial role of altruistic leadership in reducing employees' turnover intentions through the propensity to limit organizational cynicism and the moderating function of an ethical climate.