The Impact of Abusive Supervision on Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: The Mediating Role of Perceived Unfairness and Organizational Loyalty in Pakistan's Banking Sector

Abstract

Abusive supervision is a growing concern in Pakistan’s banking sector, where hierarchical structures and performance-driven cultures often create conditions conducive to toxic leadership. While its negative effects on employee well-being are well documented, limited research has explored its influence on organizational citizenship behavior, particularly through psychological mechanisms. This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of abusive supervision on organizational citizenship behavior, with perceived unfairness and organizational loyalty as sequential mediators. Grounded in the conservation of resources theory, this research adopts a quantitative, cross-sectional approach. Data were collected through structured questionnaires from a usable sample of 244 employees working in Islamabad-based banks. Standardized and validated scales were used to measure all variables. The results reveal that abusive supervision significantly lowers organizational citizenship behavior both directly and indirectly, with perceived unfairness and organizational loyalty mediating this relationship in sequence. These findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge by clarifying the pathways through which abusive supervision erodes positive workplace behaviors. The study highlights the importance of fostering fairness and loyalty within organizations to sustain discretionary employee efforts. Practically, it suggests that organizations must actively address abusive leadership to protect employee motivation, trust, and cooperative behavior in order to maintain overall performance.