The field of organizational behavior is witnessing a transformative era, where rapid change, global competition, and technological advancement challenge both employees and leaders to continuously adapt. In this evolving landscape, core constructs such as ethical leadership, organizational justice, knowledge management, and the assurance of decent work have emerged as pillars for fostering productive, healthy, and equitable workplaces. Current evidence underscores the individual and collective benefits these constructs bring: from cultivating trust through ethical leadership and establishing fairness via organizational justice, to leveraging knowledge for innovation and upholding dignity through decent work practices. Nevertheless, a nuanced understanding of how these constructs interact—particularly their combined effects on emotional labor and well-being—remains limited. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of research exploring these dynamics across diverse cultural and organizational contexts, leaving critical gaps in the empirical and theoretical landscape.

This Research Topic aims to advance the field by elucidating the mediating and moderating factors that influence the relationship between ethical leadership and employees’ emotional labor and well-being. Central questions include: What roles do organizational justice and knowledge management play in shaping employee involvement and commitment? How do decent work practices catalyze emotional health and engagement? By addressing these questions, this Research Topic seeks to provide a holistic understanding that cuts across organizational behavior, human resource management, and management psychology, ultimately contributing clear theoretical pathways and implications for scholars and practitioners.

While the primary focus is on the interplay among ethical leadership, organizational justice, knowledge management, and decent work, submissions examining a broader range of cultural, organizational, and disciplinary perspectives are encouraged. To gather further insights in these areas, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Ethical leadership and emotional labor
- Employee well-being and retention strategies
- Decent work and its impact on social protection
- Organizational learning and culture
- Organizational change and adaptation
- Organizational justice and workplace equity
- Knowledge management practices and innovation
- Mediating and moderating influences between leadership and emotional labor and well-being
- Positive organizational scholarship frameworks

Appendix: We welcome theoretical articles, empirical research, and comprehensive reviews.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Ethical leadership and workplace equity: Mediating and moderating mechanisms in emotional labor and well-being