Does shared and differentiated transformational leadership predict followers' working conditions and well-being?

The relation between transformational leadership and follower emotional strain: The moderating role of professional ambition

The present study tests a model of moderated mediation in the relationship between transformational leadership and follower emotional strain. Based on the job demands-resources model, we suggest that transformational leaders may be able to decrease follower emotional strain by providing social support. It is also proposed that a protective effect of social support from a transformational leader will depend on the employees’ level of professional ambition. Mediation by social support may be stronger for ambitious employees, such that transformational leadership may be associated with less emotional strain for these employees (moderated mediation). A sample of 199 employees participated in a cross-sectional study in Germany. Results confirmed the hypothesized moderated mediation indicating a health-promoting effect of supervisory social support for ambitious employees (not found for low levels of ambition). The study suggests that the idea of a general positive effect of transformational leadership on followers’ emotional strain is not appropriate.

Health-Relevant Leadership Behaviour: A Comparison of Leadership Constructs

There is empirical evidence that leadership behaviour is related to employee well-being. Most studies have analysed the relation between individual leadership constructs and indicators of employee well-being. There has been no systematic comparison of different leadership constructs with respect to their impact on different indicators of employee well-being within the same sample. The aim of our study was therefore to compare different leadership constructs with respect to their relation with indicators of positive and negative employee well-being. The sample consists of 1,045 health care workers. We conducted relative weight analyses and hierarchical regression analyses in order to identify the best leadership predictor for employee well-being. Our analyses reveal that leader-member exchange best predicts most of the well-being indicators and that the other leadership constructs fail to add substantial additional variance. Our findings advance the understanding of how leaders can enhance employee well-being and provide implications for research and practice.

Prozedurale Fairness als Mediator zwischen transformationaler Führung und psychischer Beanspruchung am Arbeitsplatz

Die vorliegende Studie untersucht prozedurale Fairness als Mediator zwischen transformationaler Führung und psychischer Beanspruchung am Arbeitsplatz, konzeptualisiert als emotionale Erschöpfung und kognitive Irritation. In einer Querschnittstudie in Deutschland, Finnland und Schweden wurden Mehrebenendaten von 2092 Beschäftigten aus 271 Teams erhoben. Prozedurale Fairness konnte als ein Mediator des Zusammenhangs zwischen transformationaler Führung und psychischer Beanspruchung am Arbeitsplatz auf individueller Ebene bestätigt werden (Effekt und Mediation auf individueller Ebene). Zusätzlich konnte ein indirekter Effekt eines transformalen Führungsklimas über die individuelle Wahrnehmung prozeduraler Fairness und auch über ein Klima prozeduraler Fairness auf die psychische Beanspruchung am Arbeitsplatz bestätigt werden (indirekter Effekt auf Individual- und Teamebene). Dabei wurde für die individuelle Führungseinschätzung und bei indirektem Effekt auf Teamebene auch für individuelle Fairnesseinschätzungen kontrolliert. Die Ergebnisse unterstreichen die Bedeutung prozeduraler Fairness für die Gesundheit von Beschäftigten und zeigen, dass prozedurale Fairness nicht nur ein individuelles Phänomen ist.

The mediating role of organizational justice in the relationship between transformational leadership and nurses' quality of work life: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey

BACKGROUND

The importance of transformational leadership for nurses' well-being is increasingly acknowledged. However, there is a paucity of research examining the mechanisms that may explain the relationships between transformational leadership and nurses' quality of work life.

OBJECTIVES

First, to examine two possible psychological mechanisms that link transformational leadership behaviors to nurses' quality of work life. Second, to study the relationship between nurses' quality of work life and their work engagement.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study design.

SETTINGS

The study took place in 47 different hematology, oncology, and hematology/oncology units in France. Participants were nurses and auxiliary nurses.

PARTICIPANTS

343 nurses completed the questionnaire. Surveys were sent to all nurses working in the units. 95% were female, the average age was 36.30 years.

METHODS

Nurses were asked to rate their supervisor's transformational leadership style and their perceptions of distributive and interactional justice in the unit. They were also asked to evaluate their own level of quality of work life and their work engagement.

RESULTS

Distributive justice and interactional justice were found to fully mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and nurses' quality of work life. In addition, nurses' quality of work life positively related to their work engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

Transformational leaders may help ensure nurses' quality of work life which in turn increases their work engagement. These leadership practices are thus beneficial for both employees and organization.