Investigating the aftermath of moral injury in organizations: Job stress, trauma-induced ill-being, and moral post-traumatic stress disorder as serial outcomes

Unethical experiences at work harm individual attitudes and well-being. However, limited research has investigated how such experiences injure employees morally, prompting occupational stress, ill-being, and moral trauma. Drawing from ethical impact theory in business and interdisciplinary moral injury research, as well as using data collected from business professionals in two separate studies, this investigation explored how moral injury was associated with increased job stress, trauma-induced ill-being (i.e., adverse physical symptoms and fatigue), and moral post-traumatic stress disorder. The serial mediation analyses indicated that these factors were variably and positively interrelated either directly or indirectly, suggesting that moral injury progressively affects multiple adverse work experiences. Employers should improve the workplace in ways that reduce the unethical experiences associated with moral injury, thus mitigating its harmful effects on employee well-being. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for both organizations and public health.