Transformational Leadership, Workplace Bullying, and Employees' Innovative Work Behavior in the Public Sector: A Moderated Mediation Model

This study investigates the relationship between transformational leadership and employees' innovative workplace behaviour through employees' emotional intelligence, with workplace bullying as a moderator. Drawing on affective events theory (AET) and conservation of resource theory (COR), data were collected from 335 public sector employees in the UAE, and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Findings indicate that transformational leadership enhances employees' innovative behaviour, with emotional intelligence acting as a mediator and workplace bullying as a moderator. The study highlights the contextual value of AET and COR, offering policy implications for public sector leadership and directions for future research.