How Emotional Intelligence Shapes Job Satisfaction: The Roles of Workplace Bullying, Emotional Exhaustion, Psychological Resilience, and Ethical Leadership

Fakhrul Zaman Abdullah; Farah Liyana Bustamam; Khursiah Abd Aziz; Wan Khairuzzaman Wan Ismail

doi:10.33152/jmphss-10.1.3

Authors

Fakhrul Zaman Abdullah Business School, Department of Business Administration, Sulaiman AlRajhi University, AlBukayriyah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia
Farah Liyana Bustamam Independent Researcher, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Khursiah Abd Aziz School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Asia e University, Selangor, Malaysia
Wan Khairuzzaman Wan Ismail Azman Hashim International Business School, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33152/jmphss-10.1.3

Keywords:

Emotional intelligence, Workplace bullying, Emotional exhaustion, Job satisfaction, Ethical leadership

Abstract

This study examines how emotional Intelligence influences job satisfaction through workplace bullying and emotional exhaustion,
while investigating the moderating roles of psychological resilience and ethical leadership. The research seeks to provide a comprehensive under standing of how personal and contextual resources interact with negative workplace experiences to shape employee attitudes in the hospitality sector. A quantitative cross‐sectional design was employed using survey data collected from 351 managers working in four‐star and five‐star hotels in Malaysia. The sample size was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan table, and quota sampling was applied. Established measurement scales were adopted from prior research. Data were analyzed using variance‐based structural equation modeling in ADANCO to test direct, mediating, sequential, and moderating relationships. The results indicate that emotional Intelligence negatively predicts workplace bullying and positively relates to job satisfaction. Workplace bullying increases emotional exhaustion and reduces job satisfaction. Emotional exhaustion mediates the bullying and satisfaction link, and a sequential mediation from emotional Intelligence through bullying and exhaustion to satisfaction was supported. Psychological resilience buffered the harmful effects of bullying, while ethical leadership strengthened the protective role of emotional Intelligence. This study offers an integrative framework combining emotional, social, and leadership factors. It highlights the importance of developing emotional Intelligence, resilience, and ethical leadership to reduce bullying and enhance job satisfaction.