Abstract
PurposeThis study aims to explore the adverse impacts of abusive supervision on helping behaviors among employees, as mediating by intention to leave and moderating by Islamic work ethics (IWE).Design/methodology/approachA quantitative approach was employed, and the sample consisted of 283 nurses working in various public sector hospitals in Pakistan. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS and AMOS with the PROCESS macro.FindingsThe results suggest that abusive supervision diminishes helping behavior among nurses. Additionally, the study reveals that intention to leave mediates the relationship of abusive supervision and nurses' helping behavior. Moreover, the introduction of IWE as a boundary condition reveals that the mediated link is weaker when IWE is higher, and vice versa.Practical implicationsThis study provides valuable insights for hospital authorities to develop intervention strategies and policies aimed at reducing abusive supervision in hospitals. Hospital management should also be aware of the detrimental effects of abusive supervision on nurses' helping behaviors, which can be mitigated by promoting ethical values aligned with IWE.Originality/valueThis study makes a valuable contribution to the limited research on the link between abusive supervision and helping behaviors in hospital settings. It offers new perspectives by incorporating the Conservation of Resources theory, particularly within the healthcare sector. Furthermore, this research expands the current knowledge by investigating the mediating influence of intention to leave and the moderating effect of IWE in mitigating the adverse impact of abusive supervision on nurses' helping behavior in Pakistan's public sector hospitals.