Perception of a caring ethical climate as a factor facilitating the stress and exhaustion of employees with dark triad traits of personality: a moderated mediation model.

Objective: A good match between employees and the organization they work for is beneficial for both parties; however, a misfit between the two can lead to harmful effects. There is a noticeable absence of research showing that a misfit between workers characterized by higher levels of dark triad traits and workplace ethical standards has negative consequences. This study is an attempt to fill this gap by verifying whether the perception of a caring ethical climate by employees scoring higher on dark triad traits may facilitate their job stress and exhaustion. Method: The study was cross-sectional. The participants were 1,000 employees from Poland who had been employed by their current company for at least 1 year. Results: Perception of a caring ethical climate moderated the relationship between dark triad traits of personality and job stress as well as exhaustion. Also, the indirect effects of the dark triad traits of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy on exhaustion through job stress and moderated by the perception of a caring ethical climate were found. The hypothesis about detrimental consequences of a misfit between workers scoring higher on narcissistic, Machiavellian, and psychopathic, and a caring ethical work climate were supported. Conclusions: The study showed that adaptation to the requirements of a caring ethical climate of an organization, which are antagonistic to preferences of employees possessing a higher level of dark triad traits, is associated with emotional costs for these employees. The perception of a caring ethical climate by employees scoring higher on dark triad traits facilitates their stress and exhaustion. The practical implications of the study's outcomes are discussed, emphasizing the need to match ethical preferences between potential employees and the organization during recruitment.