Int. J. Public Sector Performance Management, Vol. 4, No. 3, 2018 373 Copyright © 2018 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Impact of toxic leadership on work outcomes: an empirical study of public banks in the UAE Hend Hamad Al Zaabi*, Hossam M. Abu Elanain and Mian M. Ajmal College of Business, Abu Dhabi University, P.O. Box 59911, Abu Dhabi, UAE Email: 1013805@students.adu.ac.ae Email: hossam.elanain@adu.ac.ae Email: mian.ajmal@adu.ac.ae *Corresponding author Abstract: This study assesses the direct and indirect impact of toxic leadership on organisational trust, organisational citizenship behaviour, and group productivity through the mediating role of group cohesion in the banking sector in the UAE. This study applies a quantitative approach, using structural equation modelling (SEM) with the analysis of moment structures (AMOS) 20 software package to evaluate the impact of toxic leadership on job outcomes. The results show that toxic leadership in the banking sector has a significant relationship with organisational trust, organisational citizenship behaviour, and group productivity. This study is one of the first comprehensive studies in the banking sector in the UAE to explore the effects of toxic leadership on job outcomes. Keywords: toxic leadership; organisational trust; group productivity; group cohesion; organisational citizenship behaviour; UAE. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Al Zaabi, H.H., Abu Elanain, H.M. and Ajmal, M.M. (2018) ‘Impact of toxic leadership on work outcomes: an empirical study of public banks in the UAE’, Int. J. Public Sector Performance Management, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp.373–392. Biographical notes: Hend Hamad Al Zaabi is a DBA candidate at the College of Business Administration, Abu Dhabi University, UAE. She holds an MBA from the Abu Dhabi University and a Bachelor degree in Finance and Human Resources Management from the Zayed University. Her current interest is in toxic leadership. Hossam M. Abu Elanain is a Professor of Management at the College of Business Administration at the Abu Dhabi University. He holds a PhD in Management from the Loughborough University. His areas of research include HR, OB, and leadership. His work has been published in the International Journal of Organisational Analysis, Journal of Management Development, Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, Management Research Review, and S.A.M. Advanced Management Journal.