Emotional exhaustion and organizational deviance: Can the right job and a leader's style make a difference?

Emotional exhaustion and organizational deviance are getting increased attention because of their negative impact on business in terms of lost productivity, decreased job satisfaction, lower organizational commitment, and decreased performance. In this study, we investigated the combined effect of leadership style and person–job fit on emotional exhaustion using a sample of employees that provide healthcare and social benefits to a large metropolitan county. We also explored how the impact of emotional exhaustion on organizational deviance behaviors is mediated by employee's job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Results indicate that both emotional exhaustion and job attitudes mediate the effects of participative leadership and person–job fit on organizational deviance. Managerial implications are also provided.