The cynical world of tourism employees in the shadow of toxic leadership

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between toxic leadership and organizational cynicism among employees in the tourism sector, focusing on interactions between personnel and managers in tourism enterprises. Toxic leadership, characterized by the harmful misuse of authority, is linked to reduced job satisfaction, increased turnover, and diminished organizational trust. Organizational cynicism, a consequence of such leadership, manifests itself in employees’ negative attitudes, skepticism, and disengagement toward their work environment, ultimately undermining organizational effectiveness. The research incorporated in this paper investigates how toxic leadership influences employees’ perceptions of organizational cynicism, analyzing toxic leadership through five sub-dimensions—abusive supervision, narcissistic behavior, authoritarianism, unpredictability, and self-promotion and organizational cynicism through three sub-dimensions: cognitive, affective, and behavioral cynicism. The study was conducted in Samsun, Turkey, targeting employees from 13 four- and five-star hotels and 7 food and beverage establishments. Due to time and cost constraints, a purposive sample was drawn from 8 licensed accommodation establishments and 7 food and beverage venues in the Ilkadım and Atakum districts. Data were collected via questionnaires, with 272 distributed and 180 valid responses analyzed after excluding incomplete submissions. Employing a quantitative approach, the findings highlight the significant impact of toxic leadership on fostering organizational cynicism and offer actionable recommendations for tourism enterprises. These include leadership training, promoting open communication, and establishing feedback mechanisms to mitigate toxic behaviors, thereby enhancing employee well-being and fostering sustainable organizational practices in the tourism sector.