In recent years, organizations have increasingly focused on ways to motivate and retain Millennials and Generation Z employees, collectively referred to as Gen MZ. Compared to previous generations, this emerging workforce places greater emphasis on personal values and mental well-being (Harari et al., 2023; Kwon, 2024) and demonstrates heightened sensitivity to workplace environments and leadership styles (Gabrielova & Buchko, 2021; Twenge, 2010). Gen MZ employees are more likely to adopt disengagement strategies such as “quiet quitting” when organizational culture or management practices fail to meet their expectations. Quiet quitting is a behavioral outcome in which employees deliberately reduce extra-role efforts, emotional involvement, and work engagement. Unlike formal resignations, employees continue to fulfill minimum job responsibilities while psychologically detaching themselves from their work and avoiding additional obligations (Scheyett, 2023; Mahand & Caldwell, 2023). This behavioral withdrawal is a passive coping response to unsupportive or hostile environments and often signals early signs of disengagement from the organization (Georgiadou et al., 2025).

In exploring the antecedents of quiet quitting, researchers increasingly focus on the role of key social interactions in the workplace, particularly the influence of leadership behavior (Mahand & Caldwell, 2023). In this context, abusive supervision has emerged as a significant predictor of withdrawal behavior. Abusive supervision refers to the sustained verbal and nonverbal hostile behavior exhibited by managers (Tepper, 2000; Park & Kim, 2019), including public humiliation, biased accusations, unfair task assignments, and inappropriate reprimands (Martinko et al., 2013; Mackey et al., 2017; Tepper, 2007). These behaviors violate employees’ expectations of respect and fairness, often leading to feelings of alienation, anxiety, and even psychological trauma (Zhang & Liao, 2015), which, in turn, undermines their work engagement and organizational identification (Park & Kim, 2019; Yang et al., 2020).

Importantly, the impact of abusive supervision is not limited to direct victims. Its negative effects can also spill over to third-party employees within the organization (Shao, Li, & Mawritz, 2018). When employees witness or hear about their colleagues being mistreated, they may experience “vicarious trauma,” triggering emotional distress and psychological discomfort (Adams & Riggs, 2008; Harris et al., 2013). Even if they are not directly targeted, employees may feel anxious or emotionally drained due to a deteriorating organizational climate, potentially resulting in negative behaviors such as quiet quitting (Liang et al., 2023).

In the Chinese workplace culture, deeply rooted values such as interpersonal harmony, hierarchical respect, and face-saving significantly shape employees’ responses to negative leadership behaviors (Redding & Michael, 1983). These cultural norms reinforce conflict avoidance and emotional restraint, making employees less likely to confront authority figures directly, especially abusive supervisors (Duan et al., 2018; Lam & Xu, 2019). Instead, they tend to adopt passive coping strategies, such as silence, avoidance, or minimal effort (Peltokorpi, 2019; Whitman et al., 2014), which closely aligns with the behavioral features of quiet quitting. Consequently, even third-party observers who witness abusive behavior may experience heightened psychological stress and a sense of powerlessness because of restricted expression, which is particularly salient in cultures where emotional suppression is emphasized. This finding suggests that employees’ responses to negative leadership in the Chinese context are more strongly regulated by cultural scripts, thereby influencing their resource appraisal and coping strategies.

Within this cultural backdrop, the generational traits of the MZ cohort, now a driving force in organizational transformation, further amplify their sensitivity and reactivity to abusive supervision. This group typically values social responsibility, ethical standards, fairness, and individual expression (Zhu et al., 2015), Many of them are in the early stages of their careers and rely heavily on leadership support, developmental resources, and growth opportunities. Compared with older generations, MZ employees are more sensitive to organizational injustice and exhibit stronger emotional resonance, making them more prone to intense reactions toward destructive leadership behaviors. Research indicates that younger employees generally possess weaker emotional regulation capacities, making them more susceptible to psychological disturbance and behavioral withdrawal when exposed to abusive supervisory styles (Starratt & Grandy, 2010; Niven, 2022).

Given Gen MZ employees’ intense psychological reactions to abusive leadership, identifying the underlying psychological mechanisms is critical for understanding their behavioral responses. Psychological safety, defined as the belief that one can speak up without fear of negative consequences to one’s self-image, status, or career (Edmondson, 1999), is a key psychological resource in shaping how employees cope with adversity. In the context of abusive supervision, employees’ perceptions of organizational safety strongly influence their coping strategies. For employees who highly value interpersonal respect and emotional support, even indirect exposure to a hostile environment can undermine their psychological safety and ultimately lead to behavioral withdrawal (Zimmerman et al., 2016; Li & Song, 2024). Thus, psychological safety may serve as a crucial mediating mechanism between external stimuli (e.g., observed abusive supervision) and behavioral outcomes (e.g., quiet quitting). However, its mediating role in the context of third-party observers remains underexplored.

Moreover, not all employees respond to such situations in the same manner, making the examination of the moderating role of individual motivational differences essential. Promotion focus, a concept from the Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT) (Higgins, 1997), refers to an individual’s orientation toward growth, success, and achievement. For Gen MZ employees, who typically value personal development and goal attainment, those with a strong promotion focus are more likely to constructively reframe negative experiences and maintain goal-directed behavior even in adversity (Hodis & Hodis, 2025; Malin et al., 2019). This motivational trait plays a key role in determining whether negative stimuli lead to disengagement or adaptive coping. Therefore, examining the moderating role of promotion focus helps reveal how individual differences influence organizational behavior and provides a theoretical foundation for more personalized leadership strategies.

Despite substantial research on abusive supervision, several critical gaps remain. First, existing studies have primarily focused on direct victims, often neglecting the spillover effects on third-party observers. Abusive leadership tends to create a toxic organizational climate, triggering emotional exhaustion and behavioral withdrawal among bystanders. However, the underlying psychological mechanisms, particularly those that lead to quiet quitting, have not been sufficiently explored. Second, although leadership research has acknowledged the importance of individual motivational traits, our understanding of the boundary conditions under which employees psychologically respond to abusive environments remains limited. Specifically, promotion focus, a motivational orientation reflecting growth and goal pursuit, has yet to be systematically examined as a potential moderator in this context. Most importantly, few studies have thoroughly investigated how members of Generation MZ (Millennials and Generation Z), now the core force in the workplace, perceive and respond to abusive supervision. Although existing research suggests that this generational cohort significantly values mental well-being, fairness, and personal growth, their cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses as third-party observers to harmful leadership remain theoretically underdeveloped. Addressing this gap is crucial for advancing the theoretical understanding and developing leadership practices that are sensitive to generational dynamics.

To address these research gaps, this study, grounded in the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, employed a questionnaire survey to collect data from 358 Generation MZ employees across various industries in China. The primary aim was to systematically explore employees’ psychological and behavioral response mechanisms when witnessing abusive supervision. Specifically, the study examines the mediating role of psychological safety in the relationship between observed abusive supervision and quiet quitting, and further analyzes the moderating effect of promotion focus on this pathway. By constructing a moderated mediation model, this study seeks to uncover the differential responses of Gen MZ employees in third-party observation contexts of negative leadership and the underlying psychological mechanisms. Given Gen MZ’s heightened sensitivity to workplace climate, fairness, and respect, and their growing prominence in the workforce, this study contributes to a more generationally attuned understanding of the spillover effects of abusive supervision and offers both theoretical insights and practical guidance for leadership practices in the new era.

Based on the theoretical and empirical foundations above, this study explores the following questions:

Globally, Gen MZ employees account for the highest proportion of those considering resignation (Formica & Sfodera, 2022), with job dissatisfaction being the primary reason for this intention. However, turnover intention does not always translate into immediate job-hopping behavior. Instead, unfulfilled intentions to leave may manifest as changes in work attitudes and behaviors. A new phenomenon known as quiet quitting has emerged among Gen MZ employees.

Quiet quitting refers to employees completing only the basic tasks required by their job, showing minimal compliance with organizational goals and managerial instructions, while refraining from exceeding expectations or displaying high work engagement. This behavior is often described as a form of “working to rule” (Atalay & Dağıstan, 2024; Mahand & Caldwell, 2023). Although quiet quitting may not pose an immediate threat to organizational operations, its long-term presence can weaken cohesion and innovation, potentially evolving into a major challenge to global business competitiveness. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report, quiet quitting has already contributed to an estimated global economic loss of $7.8 trillion (Mahand & Caldwell, 2023).

As employers’ expectations of their workforce evolve, Gen MZ employees are also adjusting their career values. Clifton and Harter (2019) note that Gen MZ employees place greater emphasis on the meaning of work than just compensation, prioritize personal and professional growth over mere job satisfaction, favor ongoing communication over annual performance reviews, and prefer leaders who act as coaches rather than critics.

This new generation of employees is considered to be the most emotionally driven cohort, with relationships with supervisors forming a key part of their overall interpersonal experiences. When negative emotions arise in interactions with leaders, Gen MZ employees are more likely to exhibit resistance and disengagement behaviors (Starratt & Grandy, 2010). Given the significant gap between employer behavior and Gen MZ employees’ expectations, this study aims to explore the underlying causes of quiet quitting, offering new perspectives and empirical insights into the existing literature.

Abusive supervision refers to employees’ subjective perceptions of their leaders’ ongoing, non-physical, and hostile verbal or non-verbal behaviors (Tepper, 2000). Research has demonstrated that abusive supervision not only significantly increases emotional stress among direct subordinates but also negatively impacts third-party employees within the same work environment (Harris et al., 2013). When employees witness coworkers being mistreated, the situation can become a negative emotional event that affects their work-related attitudes and behavioral responses. Therefore, research on abusive supervision should transcend the dyadic relationship between supervisors and victims and explore its indirect effects on bystanders.

Previous studies have found a significant positive relationship between abusive supervision and quiet quitting (Pradhan et al., 2020; Mahand & Caldwell, 2023). In a hostile organizational climate, employees often experience a loss of trust, diminished self-esteem, and continuous depletion of psychological resources, which may lead to negative perceptions of the organization, a reduced sense of belonging, and eventually, disengagement behaviors such as quiet quitting (Tepper, 2010).

According to the COR Theory, abusive supervision, as an external stressor, triggers employees’ resource preservation mechanisms. For Gen MZ employees who highly value fairness, justice, and moral principles and possess higher emotional sensitivity, such supervisory behaviors are more likely to be interpreted as offensive or unjust (Starratt & Grandy, 2010). When these behaviors violate their core values, the resulting psychological resource depletion can be severe. Research has shown that younger employees tend to avoid conflicts (Alsop, 2008). Therefore, when Gen MZ employees witness coworkers being subjected to abusive supervision, they are more likely to adopt self-protective strategies such as reducing communication with supervisors, avoiding feedback, and limiting interactions (Whitman et al., 2014). These passive coping strategies not only reinforce quiet quitting tendencies but also reflect a psychological withdrawal process driven by value conflict and resource exhaustion. As resource depletion continues, Gen MZ employees may gradually reduce their work engagement and opt for silent withdrawal rather than direct confrontation. This behavior serves both as a resource preservation strategy and a form of passive resistance against destructive leadership in the organizational environment.

Psychological safety is a subjective perception in which employees believe that they can take interpersonal risks at work without fear of negative consequences (Edmondson, 1999). It reflects individuals’ anticipatory evaluations of the potential outcomes of engaging in risk-taking behaviors in the workplace (Kahn, 1990). Previous research has indicated that leadership behavior is a critical determinant of employees’ psychological safety. In particular, abusive supervision not only undermines employees’ trust in the organization but also induces fear among bystanders, thereby significantly diminishing their sense of psychological safety (Miller, 1999).

According to the COR Theory (Hobfoll et al., 2018), individuals tend to reduce their resource investment when they perceive threats to their valued resources in order to preserve what remains. Within organizations, Generation MZ employees are generally in the early stages of their careers and are highly reliant on leadership support. They often expect developmental opportunities and resources to build a more secure and fulfilling career path, making them especially sensitive to leadership behavior (Ebner et al., 2006; Dust et al., 2020). When they witness colleagues being subjected to abusive supervision, they may interpret it as a signal of organizational resource instability, fearing that their own interests may also be at risk. Consequently, they may proactively reduce their work engagement to avoid potential threats (Zhang et al., 2020).

Moreover, Generation MZ employees value not only compensation and promotion but also leadership accountability and organizational fairness (Shafaei et al., 2024). As an ethically deviant form of workplace behavior, abusive supervision (Tepper, 2000) challenges their core values (Karagonlar & Neves, 2020), intensifies organizational distrust (Mitchell et al., 2015), and provokes emotional anxiety, ultimately prompting them to distance themselves from their supervisors and reduce extra-role contributions and proactive behaviors (Beenen et al., 2017).

Given Generation MZ employees’ high sensitivity to both developmental resources and ethical environments, witnessing abusive supervision in the organization may not only lead to perceived threats to personal resources but also destabilize their judgment about whether the organization is psychologically “safe.” Once psychological safety is undermined, employees no longer feel confident that the organization tolerates voice, risk-taking, or active participation. Instead, they may adopt more passive, self-protective strategies. This mechanism is not only a key psychological antecedent of emotional withdrawal but also constitutes a potential pathway to quiet quitting behavior. Overall, a reduced sense of psychological safety diminishes employees’ work motivation and organizational identification (Edmondson, 2018). Driven by a motivation to conserve resources, Generation MZ employees are more likely to engage in quiet quitting as a coping strategy to prevent further resource depletion.

According to RFT (Higgins, 1997), individuals exhibit two fundamental motivational orientations in the process of goal pursuit: promotion and prevention focus. Promotion-focused individuals are driven by their ideal selves and emphasize growth, advancement, and achievement. By contrast, prevention-focused individuals prioritize fulfilling duties, maintaining order, and avoiding risks (Brockner & Higgins, 2001). Prior studies indicate that employees with a promotion focus are more inclined to engage in proactive exploration and creative problem-solving behaviors. Within organizational contexts, they tend to demonstrate higher work engagement, better performance, and stronger capabilities in resource integration and mobilization (Wu et al., 2008; Lanaj et al., 2012; Zhang et al., 2019).

Building on the core propositions of the RFT, motivational orientation influences individuals’ attentional focus and behavioral responses to external information (Higgins, 1997). Promotion-focused individuals are more attuned to positive outcomes and potential gains and are more likely to interpret negative events as challenges within the goal pursuit process rather than as direct threats to their resources. This optimistic orientation enables them to maintain higher levels of goal commitment and adaptive flexibility when faced with adverse organizational experiences such as abusive supervision.

Resources are essential for individuals to cope with stressors and organizational threats from the perspective of the COR Theory (Hobfoll et al., 2018). Individuals with a promotion focus tend to possess stronger resource mobilization capabilities. They can leverage their goal orientation, self-efficacy, and growth motivation to buffer themselves against the psychological threats posed by the external environment (Lanaj et al., 2012; Hobfoll et al., 2018). Therefore, even when witnessing others being subjected to abusive supervision, such individuals are more likely to engage in cognitive reappraisal and self-regulation, thereby maintaining psychological stability and task engagement, which ultimately reduces their likelihood of engaging in third-party quiet quitting behaviors (Idike et al., 2020).

Furthermore, based on the COR Theory (Hobfoll, 1989), promotion focus can be regarded as an intrinsic positive motivational resource that enhances an individual’s sense of control over their psychological assets, such as perceived control, self-confidence, and resilience. The activation of such resources not only helps individuals resist external stressors but also drives them into a virtuous cycle of “resource acquisition–resource reinvestment,” thereby fostering more resilient coping mechanisms and enhancing their psychological safety and organizational adaptability.

In Chinese culture, traditional values continue to exert a profound influence on contemporary workplace behaviors. From the perspectives of face and harmony, Song et al. (2022) found that these cultural values remain deeply rooted in the younger generation, continuously shaping their behavioral tendencies. Similarly, Zhang et al. (2022) highlighted that, in organizational contexts, the level of interpersonal harmony serves as a key mediating mechanism linking emotion regulation to performance outcomes, underscoring the significance of relational culture in Chinese organizations. Gen MZ employees, as newcomers to the workforce, often face greater uncertainty and adjustment pressure owing to their limited work experience and unfamiliarity with organizational norms. Consequently, they tend to rely more heavily on interpersonal networks to obtain informational support, emotional reassurance, and developmental resources (Katsaros, 2024; Wowor & Dewi, 2022). When confronted with dehumanizing supervisory practices, employees with high promotion focus are less likely to experience withdrawal or emotional distress. Instead, they are more inclined to proactively mobilize and acquire external resources, for example, by building emotional connections within teams to gain support, seeking professional feedback from supervisors or colleagues, participating in skill enhancement programs or cross-functional collaborations, and leveraging external platforms such as professional communities or self-learning channels to broaden their developmental pathways. These proactive behaviors help them replenish threatened psychological resources and enhance their sense of safety, while also enabling them to reinvest the newly acquired resources into long-term goal pursuit and career advancement.

In summary, promotion focus serves as a vital source of positive psychological energy that not only buffers the adverse effects of abusive supervision on psychological safety but also facilitates a “resource acquisition–reinvestment” mechanism. For MZ employees, who value growth opportunities and emotional well-being, this mechanism is particularly critical—it helps reduce quiet quitting tendencies caused by emotional exhaustion and resource depletion while strengthening long-term organizational embeddedness and psychological resilience.

Based on these hypotheses, we developed a research model (Fig. 1).

This study used the professional online survey platform, Credamo, for data collection. Comparable to Amazon Mechanical Turk, Credamo offered structured sampling and high-quality data collection services for academic research. To ensure the representativeness of the sample, five stratification variables were established: gender, age, educational level, job position, and tenure. Multiple levels were created by combining different categories across these variables to achieve a balanced and diverse sample.

This study surveyed full-time employees from Gen MZ (aged 20 to 39 years) working in various organizations across Southern China. The participants were drawn from a broad spectrum of industries and organizational settings, such as manufacturing, education, finance, healthcare, and services, without restricting the sample to any specific occupation. This approach ensured a demographically diverse and professionally varied sample across different job levels and functions (Kirkman & Chen, 2011). Data collection was conducted between October and November 2024.

Participants received a detailed introduction to the study and were informed that the survey would be conducted in three phases, with a two-week interval between each phase. The study emphasized voluntary participation, anonymity, and strict data confidentiality.

In Phase 1 (Time 1), survey invitations were sent to 600 employees working in Chinese enterprises in October 2024. The respondents were employees aged between 20 and 39 years (Gen MZ). Participants were required to provide demographic information and evaluate their experiences with Observed Abusive Supervision. In Phase 2 (Time 2), 516 valid responses were collected in which participants assessed their promotion focus and psychological safety. In Phase 3 (Time 3), those who completed the first two rounds reported their quiet quitting, yielding 358 valid responses. All three phases of the data were matched and integrated, resulting in a final response rate of 59.7%.

Sample characteristics are detailed in Table 1. Among the 358 valid respondents, 56.7% were female and 43.3% were male, with an average age of 31.18 years. Regarding educational background, most participants held a bachelor’s degree (41.6%), followed by associate degrees (27.7%) and lower degrees (20.9%), with only a small portion holding master’s (6.7%) or doctoral degrees (3.1%). In terms of job positions, the majority were frontline employees (60.9%), with fewer in junior (24.3%), middle (12.3%), and senior management roles (2.5%). As for tenure, 26.3% had less than one year of experience, 34.6% had 1–5 years, 32.4% had 6–10 years, and only 6.7% had more than 10 years of experience.

This study employed measurement scales derived from well-established constructs validated in previous empirical studies. Chinese versions were developed using translation and back-translation to ensure consistency with the original English scales (Brislin, 1980). Apart from the demographic variables, all items were assessed using a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree).

Observed abusive supervision was assessed using a five-item scale developed by Mitchell and Ambrose (2007), which asked participants to rate the frequency of observing abusive behaviors toward coworkers over the past two months. Example items of this construct include: “Tells my colleagues that their thoughts or feelings are stupid.” and “Puts my colleagues down in front of others.”. (α = 0.910).

Promotion focus was measured using Higgins et al.’s (2001) six-item scale. Example items of this construct include: “Compared to most people, are you typically unable to get what you want out of life?” and “Do you often do well at different things that you try?”. (α = 0.870)

Psychological safety was assessed using a five-item scale developed by Carmeli et al.’s (2010). Example items of this construct include: “It is easy for me to ask other members of this organization for help” and “No one in this organization would deliberately act in a way that undermines my efforts”. (α = 0.929).

Quiet quitting was assessed using a seven-item scale developed by Anand et al.’s (2024). Example items of this construct include: “often avoid working more hours, if there is no additional pay” and “I am doing the bare minimum work to avoid being fired”. (α = 0.913).

In this study, gender, age, and education of employees and leaders were selected as control variables for individual background information. These variables may influence individuals’ work attitudes and behaviors (Chi & Grandey, 2019). Additionally, position and tenure may potentially impact employees’ “quiet quitting” behavior; therefore, they were included as control variables in the model.

This study used SPSS 28.0 and AMOS 27.0 to conduct descriptive statistics, reliability and validity tests, and common method variance checks. After confirming the data quality, regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses, with p < 0.05 as the threshold for significance. To enhance robustness, bootstrapping (5,000 re-samples) was applied to test the mediation and moderation effects, thereby improving result accuracy and reliability.

A correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between the key variables, and the results are presented in Table 2. The findings indicated that observed abusive supervision was significantly positively correlated with quiet quitting (r = .551, p < .01) and significantly negatively correlated with psychological safety (r = − .498, p < .01). These results provided a preliminary basis for further analyses.

Discriminant validity was assessed by comparing the square root of AVE with the correlation coefficients between variables (off-diagonal). Because all correlation coefficients were lower than the corresponding square roots of the AVE values, the model demonstrated good discriminant validity.

This study used Cronbach’s α to assess the internal consistency reliability of the scales (Tavakol & Dennick, 2011). The reliability coefficients for the four key variables were 0.910, 0.870, 0.929, and 0.913, exceeding the commonly accepted threshold of 0.80, indicating high reliability.

AMOS software was used to establish a confirmatory factor analysis model and compare the fit levels of the theoretical four-factor model with various competing models. The test results indicated that in the theoretical four-factor model, χ2/df = 2.120 < 3, CFI = 0.957 > 0.9, TLI = 0.956 > 0.9, and RMSEA = 0.055 < 0.08, indicating that the fit indices met the analysis requirements. In contrast, the fit of the three-, two-, and one-factor models progressively worsened and did not reach critical values. Therefore, the model demonstrated good structural and discriminant validity (See Table 3).

Based on the reliability and validity tests, as well as the correlation analysis, the study employed a hierarchical multiple regression analysis to test the hypotheses. The significance level for hypothesis support was set at p < 0.05. The calculation results for each parameter are listed in Table 4.

The results of Model 5 in the table indicated that, after controlling for relevant variables, the independent variable, observed abusive supervision, had a significant positive effect on the dependent variable, quiet quitting, with a regression coefficient of γ = 0.494, p < 0.001. Therefore, H1 was supported.

The results of Model 2 showed that observed abusive supervision had a significant negative effect on the mediating variable psychological safety, with a regression coefficient of γ = -0.549, p < 0.001, indicating that the first half of the mediation pathway is supported.

In Model 6, Psychological Safety had a significant negative effect on quiet quitting, with a regression coefficient of γ = -0.418, p < 0.001, supporting the second half of the mediation pathway. The mediation effect was significant, with a computed mediation effect value of 0.229. Bootstrap sampling results indicated that the 95% confidence interval [0.140, 0.327] did not contain 0. Under these conditions, observed abusive supervision still had a significant positive effect on quiet quitting, with a regression coefficient of γ = 0.264, p < 0.001, confirming the direct path relationship. This suggests that the mediation model exhibits a partial mediation effect, thereby supporting H2.

The results of Model 7 indicated that the interaction term between observed abusive supervision and promotion focus had a significant negative effect on quiet quitting, with a regression coefficient of γ = -0.241, p < 0.001. Thus, the moderation effect hypothesis, H3, is supported. The simple slope analysis in Fig. 2 further illustrates that as promotion focus increases, the positive effect of observed abusive supervision on quiet quitting gradually weakens.

The results of Model 3 indicated that the interaction term between observed abusive supervision and promotion focus had a significant negative effect on psychological safety, with a regression coefficient of γ = -0.340, p < 0.01, thus supporting H4. The simple slope analysis in Fig. 3 demonstrates that as promotion focus increases, the negative effect of observed abusive supervision on psychological safety diminishes.

Next, the study used the PROCESS macro in SPSS to test the moderated mediation effect. Table 5 shows that promotion focus significantly moderated the indirect effect of observed abusive supervision on quiet quitting via psychological safety (moderated mediation index = -0.098, 95% CI [-0.141, -0.059], excluding zero), thereby supporting Hypothesis H5.

To further examine the conditional effect of promotion focus, the study calculated the indirect effects at three levels of promotion focus: the mean, one standard deviation above the mean, and one standard deviation below the mean. The results indicated that when promotion focus was high, the indirect effect became significantly more negative (indirect effect = 0.065, 95% CI [0.007, 0.125]). This suggested that as promotion focus increased, the suppressive effect of observed abusive supervision on quiet quitting via reduced psychological safety intensified, thus further supporting H5.

This study, grounded in the COR Theory, explores how observing a leader’s abusive supervision of coworkers influences quiet quitting among Gen MZ employees. The findings reveal that as the intensity of abusive supervision increases, Gen MZ employees, as bystanders, are more likely to adopt quiet quitting as a resource conservation strategy. This confirms that abusive supervision is not only detrimental to direct victims but also negatively impacts other members within the organization (Martinko et al., 2013; Zhang & Liao, 2015).

Further analysis indicates that psychological safety plays a key mediating role between abusive supervision and quiet quitting. When Gen MZ employees witness such abusive behavior, their trust in the organization and its leaders decreases, resulting in reduced psychological safety. Consequently, they are more inclined to engage in quiet quitting to avoid further risks and resource depletion.

In addition, the study reveals that promotion focus plays a significant moderating and moderated mediating role in the relationship between observed abusive supervision, psychological safety, and quiet quitting. Specifically, when employees are exposed to observed abusive supervision—that is, when they witness supervisors mistreating their coworkers—those with a high level of promotion focus are more likely to interpret such behavior as an external obstacle in the process of goal pursuit rather than a direct personal threat. Consequently, the detrimental effect on their psychological safety is relatively weak. These employees typically possess stronger growth orientation and adaptive regulatory capacity, enabling them to cope with adverse situations through cognitive reframing and resource mobilization, thereby reducing the likelihood of quiet quitting driven by diminished psychological safety. The subsequent section discusses the theoretical contributions and practical implications of the findings, reflects on the limitations of the study, and proposes directions for future research.

This study expands the literature on abusive leadership by adopting a third-party observer perspective. While abusive supervision has gained increasing scholarly attention as a prevalent form of inappropriate managerial behavior, existing research has predominantly focused on the interactions between leaders and direct victims, with limited attention paid to how bystanders perceive and react to such behavior. Furthermore, this study responds to the call by Loughlin and Barling (2001) for more research on younger employees, offering a deeper examination of the psychological characteristics of Gen MZ in organizational settings. The findings reveal that witnessing abusive supervision significantly undermines their psychological safety, which in turn triggers quiet quitting behaviors, reflecting a cognitive withdrawal strategy employed to preserve personal resources.

Second, grounded in the COR Theory, this study reveals the resource protection mechanisms employed by Gen MZ employees when they witness dehumanizing management practices, thereby expanding the theoretical application of COR. While prior research focused on the leader-subordinate dyad (e.g., Park & Kim, 2019), this study emphasizes the perspective of bystanders and demonstrates how individuals respond to perceived resource threats, further validating COR’s utility in explaining how employees manage and conserve psychological resources.

Finally, this study identifies promotion focus as a key boundary condition influencing the outcomes of abusive leadership, highlighting its moderating role in the relationship between observed abusive behavior, psychological safety, and quiet quitting. The results indicate that employees with a high level of promotion focus are better equipped to regulate their emotional and cognitive responses when facing abusive supervision, thereby mitigating negative consequences and reducing the likelihood of quiet quitting.

Moreover, this study attempts to integrate RFT with the COR Theory to reveal how promotion focus, as an intrinsic motivational resource, activates positive mechanisms of “resource mobilization” and “resource acquisition-reinvestment”. Promotion-Focused individuals tend to interpret negative situations as challenges in the goal pursuit process, which activates growth motivation and adaptive capacity. They are more likely to proactively acquire new resources and reinvest them into goal-directed behaviors, thereby forming a virtuous cycle. This integrative perspective expands the theoretical boundary of the RFT and enriches COR’s explanatory power regarding intrinsic motivational responses in adverse situations.

This study further highlights the amplifying and moderating effects of China’s unique cultural values on the impact of abusive supervision. Cultural norms emphasizing interpersonal harmony and hierarchy lead even third-party observers to remain silent and withdrawn. These avoidance tendencies intensify emotional exhaustion and organizational detachment, reinforcing quiet quitting. Simultaneously, in China’s relationship-oriented culture, promotion focus is not only reflected in their intrinsic motivation for personal growth and goal attainment but is also often realized through the acquisition and integration of social relational resources. This integrative perspective reveals how promotion focus is internalized as a relational resource mobilization and reinvestment strategy within a relationship-oriented culture, thereby enriching the contextual applicability and theoretical depth of COR Theory in Eastern organizational settings.

This study has important practical implications for human resource managers and senior executives in managing Gen MZ employees. The findings indicate that when leaders exhibit abusive leadership behaviors, organizations may incur substantial hidden costs, as such behaviors not only undermine Gen MZ employees’ psychological safety but also increases their likelihood of engaging in quiet quitting. This not only hampers the adaptation and development of Gen MZ employees but may also negatively affect overall organizational performance. Therefore, organizations should adopt proactive measures to prevent and reduce abusive leadership practices.

Systematic leadership training can help enhance managers’ awareness of fairness and employee care, and encourage the adoption of positive leadership styles. Organizations should also foster a fair and transparent culture, build trust mechanisms, and strengthen employees’ psychological safety. In addition, companies can establish third-party monitoring systems, such as anonymous reporting channels and employee feedback mechanisms, supported by clear reward and punishment policies, to promptly address abusive leadership and maintain a healthy organizational climate.

Simultaneously, organizations must prioritize the psychological safety of Gen MZ employees. As a key force driving innovation and growth, their early experiences of psychological safety significantly shape their organizational socialization and long-term development. Abusive practices may hinder their integration and increase turnover risk. Thus, organizations should develop open communication channels and psychological support systems (e.g., counseling services and mentorship programs) to strengthen their employees’ sense of belonging and safety. Furthermore, granting Gen MZ employees greater autonomy and participation in decision-making can boost their work engagement and reduce the likelihood of quiet quitting caused by a lack of psychological safety.

Finally, beyond preventing depersonalized supervision, organizations should pay attention to employees’ self-regulatory capacities, particularly their promotion focus, which can stimulate intrinsic motivation. Research indicates that employees with a high level of promotion focus can remain goal-oriented, even in adverse situations, and are more likely to adopt proactive coping strategies and maintain initiative. Therefore, when shaping organizational culture, companies should strengthen their growth mindset, learning orientation, and positive motivational systems to help employees develop a stronger sense of goal pursuit. However, it is important to note that regulatory focus is a relatively stable individual trait that cannot be easily altered through managerial interventions (Förster et al., 1998). Attempts to forcefully steer employees toward a specific regulatory orientation may not only be ineffective but could also lead to additional psychological pressure. As such, organizations should respect individual differences and avoid misinterpreting varied reactions to negative leadership behaviors such as disloyalty or non-compliance. In addition, for employees who are psychologically affected by depersonalized supervision, organizations should establish comprehensive support systems, including anonymous feedback channels, counseling services, and fair grievance procedures, to help restore their sense of psychological safety and trust in the organization. More broadly, organizations should cultivate a workplace climate that encourages flexible responses based on different regulatory orientations: promoting proactive growth-seeking behaviors in the face of challenges, while fostering risk awareness and loss prevention strategies in high-stakes situations. Only when organizations provide adequate support and respect for individual differences can they effectively prevent quiet quitting, promote active engagement, and enhance overall cohesion and long-term competitiveness.

This study has several limitations that offer directions for future research. First, although the study employed a three-wave time-lagged design to reduce common method bias, all data were collected through self-reported measures on the same online platform, making it cross-sectional. However, this design limits the ability to draw causal inferences. Future studies should adopt longitudinal or experimental designs to better capture the dynamic relationships between variables and strengthen causal explanations.

Second, this study focused exclusively on abusive supervision without considering other forms of workplace mistreatment such as ostracism, social exclusion, or bullying, which may also negatively impact Gen MZ employees’ psychological safety and work attitudes as bystanders (Priesemuth & Schminke, 2019). Future research could expand the scope of exploring how various forms of mistreatment affect third-party observers’ emotions, engagement, and career outcomes, thereby building a more comprehensive theoretical framework.

Third, while the study examined Gen MZ employees’ bystander reactions, it did not explore their interactions with their victimized colleagues. Prior research shows that bystanders may exhibit helping behaviors (Mulder et al., 2017), but also negative responses such as schadenfreude (Xu et al., 2020), and distancing (Cai et al., 2024). Future studies should investigate how such interactions shape organizational socialization, team climate, and knowledge sharing.

Finally, this study focused on Gen MZ employees in China, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Cultural factors, such as promotion focus, social norms, and organizational values, may shape how employees perceive and respond to abusive supervision. Future research should test the proposed model in diverse cultural contexts to enhance its external validity and cross-cultural applicability.

This study contributes to the literature on abusive supervision by shifting the focus from direct victims to third-party observers, particularly among the Gen MZ workforce in China. By introducing promotion focus as a motivational buffer and psychological safety as a cognitive mediator, it offers a novel moderated mediation framework grounded in both the COR and RFT. This dual-theoretical integration advances our understanding of how ambient toxic leadership influences silent withdrawal behaviors such as quiet quitting. It thereby opens a new pathway for future research on leadership spillover effects and generational responses to workplace adversity.