The effect of ethical climate and ethical leadership on workplace cyberbullying

Due to the ethical problems and crises experienced in the workplaces in recent years, the need for an ethical working climate and an ethical leader has emerged more. Managers who show ethical leadership behavior contribute to the development of employees. Technology systems have positive aspects as well as negative aspects when used inappropriately and unconsciously. When considered in terms of businesses, the concept of cyberbullying emerges, which negatively affects the motivation and productivity of employees. In this direction, it is worth researching whether an ethical working environment and managers with ethical values have an effect on cyberbullying behaviors in the workplace. The purpose of this research is to reveal the effect of ethical climate and ethical leadership on cyberbullying behaviors in the workplace. In this context, ethical climate and ethical leadership are independent, and workplace cyberbullying is the dependent variable. An empirical research was conducted on employees working in various units in the field of civil aviation. As a result of the correlation and regression analyses, it was observed that there was a negative and significant correlation between ethical climate and workplace cyberbullying, and a negative and significant correlation between ethical leadership and workplace cyberbullying. In addition, cyberbullying is decreasing in work environments where there is an ethical climate and ethical leadership. Thus, findings supporting the assumptions and hypotheses of the research were obtained. It is thought that the research has academic and managerial contributions and will guide organizations and managers in terms of creating an ethical climate and exhibiting ethical leadership behavior.