Ethical leadership and employee task performance: examining moderated mediation process

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of ethical leadership on employee task performance, specifically the mechanisms through which ethical leadership impacts employee task performance and the moderating role of employee proactive personality. Social identity, social learning, and self-concordance theory were used to explain the way ethical leadership affects employee task performance, and provided another way to understand this relationship. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected survey-based dyadic data from middle management team members and subordinates in Chinese companies. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the research hypotheses. Findings The empirical findings indicate that ethical leadership positively influences employee task performance. Organizational identification (OID) mediates the relationship between ethical leadership and employee task performance. Furthermore, the relationship between ethical leadership and employee task performance via OID is moderated by employee proactive personality. Originality/value Employee task performance is critical for a firm’s competitive advantage. This paper adds to knowledge about the relationship between ethical leadership and employee task performance and contributes to effective management.