Leader helping is often assumed to enhance employee outcomes, but its impact on fairness perceptions remains underexplored. This research examines two distinct types of leader helping—autonomous helping (providing tools while preserving employee autonomy) and dependent helping (offering complete solutions)—and their differential effects on subordinates’ interpersonal justice perception. Drawing on fairness heuristic theory, we argue that leader autonomous helping is positively associated with interpersonal justice perceptions, while leader dependent helping is not. We further propose that subordinate role overload moderates these relationships, shaping how employees interpret and respond to leader helping behaviors. Across two studies, a field survey and a scenario experiment, we find support for our theoretical model. These findings challenge the assumption that leader helping is universally beneficial, and highlight the nuanced role of helping styles in shaping fairness perceptions. This research advances the literature on leadership, organizational justice, and helping behaviors by uncovering when and why leader helping may yield unintended consequences for interpersonal dynamics through the lens of fairness.
