This study explores how exploitative leadership affects employees' work passion, a vital element for engagement, creativity, and productivity. It further delves into how trust in leaders mediates this relationship. By applying social exchange theory and conservation of resources theory and analyzing responses from 384 full-time employees through covariance-based structural equation modeling using SmartPLS, the findings confirm the negative effects of exploitative leadership on work passion. They also underscore the significant mediating role of trust in leaders. These insights underline the importance of addressing exploitative leadership in organizational policies and enhancing trust to improve work passion. The study not only provides valuable information for organizations but also lays the groundwork for future research on leadership styles, trust, and employee passion.
Keywords: Conservation of resources theory; employees’ work passion; exploitative leadership; social exchange theory; trust in leader.