Responsible leadership an obstacle for turnover intention

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which ethical climate mediates between responsible leadership and employee turnover intention. Design/methodology/approach: This study used the deductive logic approach to develop hypotheses and analytical framework. Data were collected through convenience sampling technique from branch-level employees of the Bank of Punjab Pakistan working in Lahore, Gujranwala and Gujrat Region. Data were analyzed to test the hypotheses via descriptive analysis and structural equation modeling using SPSS and Smart PLS. Findings: Results confirmed a significant positive association between responsible leadership and ethical climate and a negative association between ethical climate and employee turnover intention. Furthermore, results also confirmed the mediating role of ethical climate between responsible leadership and turnover intention. Practical implications: This study enhances the existing literature regarding responsible leadership, ethical climate and turnover intention. It also helps professionals to review their policies. Originality/value: The theoretical contribution of this paper lies in exploring the relationship between responsible leadership and ethical climate. The current study empirically examined the mediating role of an ethical climate between responsible leadership and employee turnover. It contributes also to the literature regarding responsible leadership, ethical climate and turnover intention. © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited