The Dark Side of Leadership: How Abusive Supervision Fuels Turnover and Workplace Deviance in Entrepreneurial Healthcare Settings

Abstract

This study explores how the contradictory dynamics of abusive supervision pose implications for sustainability in the workforce, key to every business endeavor and organizational growth. Based on the Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory, the study explores the mediating effects of ego depletion on the relationship between abusive supervision and employee turnover intentions and workplace deviance in healthcare sector of Pakistan. In most start-ups including healthcare, the most difficult aspects are to attract and retain skilled professionals while creating an ethical culture within the organization, which not only befits in the domain of long-term success but also help in achieving sustained competitive advantage. The study uses data collected through convenience sampling and structured questionnaires to investigate healthcare employees' experiences across both public and private hospitals. An Analysis of the responses via SPSS and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling  (PLS-SEM) indicated a significant positive association between abusive supervision and increased turnover intention and workplace deviance and ego depletion mediates the relationship between abusive supervision and turnover intention and workplace deviance. The results highlight the need for effective leadership strategies that both reduce the harmful consequences of supervisory abuse for employees and support a sustainable organizational culture. The insights gained from this study contribute to the existing literature on abusive supervision dynamics as well as markets each for the entrepreneurial in practical implication for entrepreneurs and organizational leaders. It also presents potential research directions on workplace dynamics, organizational resilience, and ethical leadership practices in entrepreneurial contexts.