Marques, TâniaCrespo, Cátia FernandesPina e Cunha, MiguelCaçador, MarianaDias, Sara Simões2023-10-262023-10-262023Marques, T., Crespo, C.F., Pina e Cunha, M., Caçador, M. and Dias, S.S. (2023), "Responsible leadership and turnover intentions in health-care professionals: the mediating role of burnout", Leadership in Health Services, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-11-2022-01091751-1879http://hdl.handle.net/10400.8/8875Acknowledgements This paper is financed by National Funds of the FCT – Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology within the project UIDB/04928/2020, UID/ECO/00124/2019, UIDB/00124/2020, and Social Sciences DataLab, PINFRA/22209/2016, POR Lisboa and POR Norte (Social Sciences DataLab, PINFRA/22209/2016).Drawing on social identity theory, this study aims to test how responsible leadership predicts turnover intentions by considering the mediating role of burnout. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 213 Portuguese health-care workers was collected and analysed through partial least squares-structural equation modelling. Findings The findings indicate a negative relationship between responsible leadership and turnover intentions. Burnout is positively associated with turnover intentions, and, in turn, responsible leadership is negatively associated with burnout. Burnout also partially mediates the association of responsible leadership with turnover intention. Originality/value The findings provide a fresh perspective on leadership dynamics in the health-care context by expressing the role of responsible leadership in reducing emotional exhaustion and depersonalization of work, thus mitigating intentions to leave.engResponsible LeadershipBurnoutTurnover IntentionsSocial Identity TheoryHealth carejournal articlehttps://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-11-2022-0109