The Effect of Toxic Leadership on Employee Motivation: The Mediating Role of Burnout Syndrome

Employee motivation, job satisfaction, and retention have become crucial issues that manufacturing companies must deal with in order to achieve sustainable performance in today's fiercely competitive and demanding organizational environment. Employee attitudes and psychological health are significantly influenced by leadership. However, toxic leadership behaviours, which have increasingly been associated with adverse employee outcomes, especially burnout, may undermine the effectiveness of an organization. Despite the growth in attention to the concept of toxic leadership, empirical evidence on its indirect effects on key employee outcomes through burnout remains very limited, especially in the Malaysian manufacturing context. The present study investigates how toxic leadership influences employees' motivational level, job satisfaction, and employee retention with burnout syndrome as the mediating variable. A quantitative research design was adopted for which data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 122 employees at Honda Damansara. A simple random sampling technique was employed and the proposed relationships were tested using statistical methods. The results showed that toxic leadership was significantly and positively related to burnout and negatively related to motivation, job satisfaction, and retention among employees. In addition, burnout significantly mediated the relationship between toxic leadership and employee motivation. These findings highlight the detrimental impact of toxic leadership on employees’ psychological well-being and work-related attitudes. By offering empirical evidence on the mediating role of burnout, this study adds to the body of literature already in existence. It also has practical implications for organizations looking to improve employee motivation, satisfaction, and retention through the development of healthier leadership practices.

Toxic Leadership, Burnout Syndrome, Employee Motivation, Manufacturing Industry

1. Al-Hassani, K. (2025). The effect of toxic leadership on job stress and organizational commitment: The moderating role of coworker support. Indiana Journal of Economics and Business Management, 6(2), 215–234. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/392493857 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Allen, D. G., & Shanock, L. R. (2013). Perceived organizational support and embeddedness as key mechanisms connecting socialization tactics to commitment and turnover among new employees. Journal of https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1805 Organizational Behavior, 34(3), 350–369. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Amabile, T. M. (2001). Beyond talent: Creativity in context. American Psychologist, 56(4), 333–346. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.4.333 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Anjum, A., Ming, X., Siddiqi, A. F., & Rasool, S. F. (2018). An empirical study analyzing job productivity in toxic workplace environments. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(5), 1035. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15051035 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Aryee, S., Budhwar, P. S., & Chen, Z. X. (2007). Trust as a mediator of the relationship between organizational justice and work outcomes: Test of a social exchange model. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 28(3), 289–310. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.138 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Babbie, E. (2020). The practice of social research (15th ed.). Cengage Learning. https://www.cengage.com/c/the-practice-of-social-research-15e-babbie/9780357360767/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2007). The job demands-resources model: State of the art. Journal of Managerial https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940710733115 Psychology, 22(3), 309–328. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2017). Job demands–resources theory: Taking stock and looking forward. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22(3), 273–285. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000056 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Bakker, A. B., Demerouti, E., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2002). Validation of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey: An internet study. Anxiety, Stress & Coping, 15(3), 245–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/1061580021000020716 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Budak, O., & Erdal, N. (2022). The mediating role of burnout syndrome in toxic leadership and job satisfaction in organizations. Journal of Economics and Business, 5(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.2478/jeb-2022-0011 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Çelebi, N., Güner, E., & Köse, D. (2015). The impact of toxic leadership behaviors of managers on job satisfaction of employees. International Journal of Business and anagement, 10(2), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v10n2p1 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Churchill, G. A., & Iacobucci, D. (2018). Marketing research: Methodological foundations (12th ed.). Cengage Learning. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Christian, M. S., Garza, A. S., & Slaughter, J. E. (2011). Work engagement: A quantitative review and test of its relations with task performance and citizenship behavior. Personnel Psychology, 64(1), 89–136. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2010.01203.x [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2002). Research methods in education (5th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203224342 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1104_01 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008). Facilitating optimal motivation and psychological well-being across life’s domains. https://doi.org/10.1037/0708-5591.49.1.14 Canadian Psychology, 49(1), 14–23. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. De Veaux, R. D., Velleman, P. F., & Bock, D. E. (2005). Intro Stats (2nd ed.). Pearson Education. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Nachreiner, F., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2003). The job demands resources model of burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(3), 499–512. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.86.3.499 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Easterby-Smith, M., Valizade, D., Thorpe, R., & Jaspersen, L. J. (2021). Management and business research (6th ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Einarsen, S., Hoel, H., Zapf, D., & Cooper, C. L. (2014). Bullying and harassment in the workplace: Developments in theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.). CRC Press. talent [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Farndale, E., Scullion, H., & Sparrow, P. (2010). The role of the corporate HR function in global management. Journal of World Business, 45(2), 161–168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2009.09.012 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A., & Buchner, A. (2007). G*Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods, 39(2), 175–191. https://doi.org/10.3758/bf03193146 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Ferraro, T., Pais, L., & dos Santos, N. R. (2018). Decent work, work motivation and psychological capital: An empirical research. Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 34(1), 39–45. https://doi.org/10.5093/jwop2018a5 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Field, A. (2009). Discovering statistics using SPSS (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Gagné, M., & Deci, E. L. (2005). Self‐determination theory and work motivation. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(4), 331–362. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.322 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. George, D., & Mallery, P. (2003). SPSS for Windows step by step: A simple guide and reference (4th ed.). Allyn & Bacon. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Gallup. (2022). State of the global workplace: 2022 report. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Gelfand, M. J., Erez, M., & Aycan, Z. (2007). Cross-cultural organizational behavior. Annual Review of Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.58.110405.085559 58(1), 479–514. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Ghazali, A. (2020). Pengenalan kepada penyelidikan. Universiti Utara Malaysia Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Hair, J. F., Page, M., & Brunsveld, N. (2019). Essentials of business research methods (4th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429203374 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2019). Multivariate data analysis (8th ed.). Cengage Learning. https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/facpubs/2925/ teachers. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. Hakanen, J. J., Bakker, A. B., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2008). Burnout and work engagement among Journal of School Psychology, 43(6), 495–513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2005.11.001 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. Harms, P. D., Credé, M., Tynan, M., Leon, M., & Jeung, W. (2017). Leadership and employee retention: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 24(1), 1–17. https://affinityhealthhub.co.uk/d/attachments/2-harms-et-al-20171554904644.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Harris, K. J., Kacmar, K. M., & Zivnuska, S. (2007). An investigation of abusive supervision as a predictor of performance and the meaning of work as a moderator of the relationship. The Leadership Quarterly, 18(3), 252–263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2007.03.007 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. Heale, R., & Twycross, A. (2015). Validity and reliability in quantitative studies. Evidence Based Nursing, 18(3), 66–67. https://ebn.bmj.com/content/18/3/66.short [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

37. Honda Malaysia. (2021). Corporate philosophy: The three joys. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

38. JobStreet Malaysia. (2021). Employee sentiment & retention trends in Malaysia. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

39. Khan, M. A., Aslam, H. D., & Riaz, M. (2021). Mediating effects of employee commitment in the relationship between toxic leadership and employees' performance. Humanities & ocial Sciences Reviews, 9(4), 949–957. https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2021.949 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

40. Kinley, N., & Ben-Hur, S. (2019). How leadership works. In Springer eBooks (pp. 1–18). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27293-7_1 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

41. Koç, H., Yildirim, M., & Aksoy, M. (2022). The moderating role of intrinsic motivation on the relationship between toxic leadership and emotional exhaustion. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 1047834. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1047834 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

42. Kovach, K. A. (1995). Employee motivation: Addressing a crucial factor in your organization’s performance. Employment Relations Today, 22(2), 93–107. https://doi.org/10.1002/ert.3910220209 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

43. Kumar, R. (2018). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners (5th ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

44. Lipman-Blumen, J. (2005). The allure of toxic leaders: Why we follow destructive bosses and corrupt politicians and how we can survive them. Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

45. Lipman-Blumen, J. (2005). Toxic leaders: When organizations go bad. Leader to Leader, 2005(36), 29–34. https://doi.org/10.1002/ltl.142 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

46. MacKinnon, D. P., Fairchild, A. J., & Fritz, M. S. (2007). Mediation analysis. Annual Review of Psychology, 58, 593–614. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.58.110405.085542 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

47. MacKinnon, D. P., Warsi, G., & Dwyer, J. H. (1995). A simulation study of mediated effect measures. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 30(1), 41–62. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327906mbr3001_3 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

48. MacKinnon, D. P., & Dwyer, J. H. (1993). Estimating mediated effects in prevention studies. Evaluation Review, 17(2), 144–158. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193841X9301700202 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

49. Maslach, C., Jackson, S. E., & Leiter, M. P. (2001). Maslach burnout inventory manual (3rd ed.). Consulting Psychologists Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

50. Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2008). Early predictors of job burnout and engagement. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(3), 498–512. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021 9010.93.3.498 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

51. Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Burnout: A multidimensional perspective. In W. B. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

52. Schaufeli, C. Maslach, & T. Marek (Eds.), Professional burnout: Recent developments in theory and research (pp.https://doi.org/10.1201/9780203741825-3 19–32). Taylor & Francis. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

53. Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2012). Job burnout. Annual Review of Psychology, 52(1), 397–422. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

54. Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20311 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

55. Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2017). New insights into burnout and health care: Strategies for improving civility and alleviating burnout. Medical Teacher, 39(2), 160–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2016.1248918 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

56. Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2019). Measuring burnout. In C. L. Cooper & J. Campbell Quick (Eds.), The handbook of stress and health: A guide to research and practice (pp. 86–108). Wiley Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118993811.ch5 trail. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

57. Mehta, S., & Maheshwari, G. C. (2014, October 18). Toxic leadership: Tracing the destructive International Journal of Management, MIDA. (2021). Malaysia’s automotive industry overview. 5(10), 18–24. https://iaeme.com/Home/article_id/10120140510003 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

58. Morris, R. (2019). Understanding coping strategies and behaviors of employees affected by toxic leadership (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

59. Namie, G. (2014). Workplace bullying, employee performance and behaviors: The mediating role psychological well-being. Employee Relations, 36(3), 360–383. 131 outlooks. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-01-2013-0004 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

60. Ng, T. W., Lee, A., & Tan, K. H. (2019). The war for talent in Malaysia: Current practices and future Asian Journal of Business Research, 9(2), 13–25. https://doi.org/10.14707/ajbr.190062 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

61. Ngo, T. T. (2021). Burnout and motivation in remote work during COVID-19 pandemic syndrome (Bachelor’s thesis, Laurea University of Applied Sciences). Theseus. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

62. Nunes, J., & Palma-Moreira, J. (2024). Toxic leadership and turnover intentions: The role of burnout Administrative Sciences, 14(12), Article 340. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci14120340 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

63. Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill. https://doi.org/10.1177/073428299901700307 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

64. Olgin, G., & Garrett, L. (2023). Investigating the causes, consequences, and solutions to toxic leadership in public organizations from an employee context (Master’s thesis, California State University, Fullerton). CSU Fullerton ScholarWorks. https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/downloads/vq27zv773 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

65. Padilla, A., Hogan, R., & Kaiser, R. B. (2007). The toxic triangle: Destructive leaders, susceptible followers, and conducive environments. The Leadership Quarterly, 18(3), 176 194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2007.03.001 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

66. Parker, S. K., Bindl, U. K., & Strauss, K. (2010). Making things happen: A model of proactive motivation. Journal Management, 36(4), 827–856. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310363732 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

67. Pelletier, K. L. (2010). Leader toxicity: An empirical investigation of toxic behavior and rhetoric. Leadership, 6(4), 373–389. https://doi.org/10.1177/1742715010379308 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

68. Randstad Malaysia. (2022). Workplace trends report 2022. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

69. Rich, B. L., Lepine, J. A., & Crawford, E. R. (2010). Job engagement: Antecedents and effects on job performance. Academy of Management Journal, 53(3), 617–635. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2010.51468988 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

70. Rocha, A. M., Salvador, A., & Dos Santos, N. R. (2023). Toxic leadership and followers' work motivation: An Angolan study. Universitas Psychologica, 22, Article e6972640003. https://revistas.javeriana.edu.co/filesarticulos/UPSY/22(2023)/6972640003/index.html [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

71. Ronen, S., & Donia, M. B. L. (2020). The impact of abusive supervision on employees’ motivation and ensuing outcomes at work. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 41(7), 647661. https://doi.org/10.5093/jwop2020a20. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

72. Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 54–67. https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1020 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

73. Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.55.1.68 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

74. Ryan, R. M., Huta, V., & Deci, E. L. (2008). Living well: A self-determination theory perspective on eudaimonia. Journal of Happiness Studies, 9(1), 139–170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-006-9023-4 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

75. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). Research methods for business students (8th ed.). Pearson Education. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

76. Salanova, M., Lorente, L., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2011). Yes, I can, I feel good, and I just do it! On gain cycles and spirals of efficacy beliefs, affect, and engagement. European Journal of and Organizational University Psychology, 20(1), 67–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/13594320903512953 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

77. Schaubroeck, J., Lam, S. S. K., & Xie, J. L. (2000). Collective efficacy versus self-efficacy in coping responses to stressors and control: A cross-cultural study. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(4), 512–525. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.85.4.512 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

78. Schaufeli, W. B., & Bakker, A. B. (2004). Job demands, job resources, and their relationship with burnout and engagement: A multi‐sample study. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25(3), 293–315. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.248 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

79. Schaufeli, W. B., & Taris, T. W. (2014). A critical review of the Job Demands-Resources Model: Implications for improving work and health. In G. F. Bauer & O. Hämmig (Eds.), Bridging occupational, organizational and public health (pp. 43–68). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5640-3_4 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

80. Schmidt, A. A. (2008). Development and validation of the toxic leadership scale (Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/openview/2d4bf487b9961c7a5eedb5af1aefe456/1?pqorigsite=gscholar&cbl=18750 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

81. Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2019). Research methods for business: A skill-building approach (8th ed.). Wiley. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

82. Semedo, A. S., Salvador, A., & Dos Santos, N. R. (2022). Toxic leadership and empowering leadership: Relations with work motivation. European Management Review. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

83. Taber, K. S. (2017). The use of Cronbach’s alpha when developing and reporting research instruments in science education. Research in Science Education, 48(6), 1273–1296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-016-9602-2 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

84. Tarique, I., & Schuler, R. S. (2010). Global talent management: Literature review, integrative framework, and suggestions for further research. Journal of World Business, 45(2), 122–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2009.09.019 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

85. Taris, T. W. (2006). Is there a relationship between burnout and objective performance? A critical of review of studies. Work & Stress, 20(4), 316–334. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678370601065893 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

86. Tepper, B. J. (2000). Consequences of abusive supervision. Academy of Management Journal, 43(2), 178–190. https://doi.org/10.5465/1556375 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

87. Waldiya, R. (2023). Toxic leadership and its impact on subjective well-being in high-stress workplaces (Master’s thesis, California State University, San Bernardino). CSUSB ScholarWorks. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

88. Weger, H., Castle, G. R., & Emmett, M. C. (2014). Active listening in peer interviews: The influence of message paraphrasing on perceptions of listening skill. International Journal of Listening, 28(1), 13–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/10904018.2013.813234 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

89. Whitehead, A. L., Julious, S. A., Cooper, C. L., & Campbell, M. J. (2015). Estimating the sample size for a pilot randomised trial to minimise the overall trial sample size for the external pilot and main trial for a continuous outcome variable. Statistical Methods in Medical Research, 25(3), 1057–1073. https://doi.org/10.1177/0962280215588241 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

90. Wolor, C. W., Febrilia, I., Martono, S., & Syaifuddin, M. (2022). Impact of toxic leadership on employee performance. Health Psychology Research, 10(1), Article A123. https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.57551 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

91. World Health Organization. (2019). Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International classification of diseases. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

92. Wright, T. A., & Bonett, D. G. (2007). Job satisfaction and psychological well-being as nonadditive predictors of workplace turnover. Journal of Management, 33(2), 141–160. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206306297582 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

93. Zhang, Y., Lepine, J. A., Buckman, B. R., & Rich, B. L. (2015). It’s not fair… or is it? The role of justice and leadership in explaining work stressor–job performance relationships. Academy of Management Journal, 58(3), 675–697. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2011.1110 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

94. Zimianiti, F. (2023). Fear of missing out (FOMO) and burnout (Master’s thesis, Utrecht University). Utrecht University Student Theses. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

95. Zinar, S., Ali, A., & Hassan, R. (2020). The impact of toxic leadership on employee performance and turnover intention. Asian Journal of Business Research, 10(2), 44–59. https://doi.org/10.14707/ajbr.200084. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Leadership Practice, Organization Culture and Emotional Intelligence Among Female Leaders: Preliminary Study