The impact of leadership on employee well-being – the role of leaders and managers in the construction of models that promote psychological well-being in the workplace

Abstract

If leadership is the process of group influence on the achievement of objectives (Fleishman et al, 1991; Bass, 1990), employee well-being can be considered as one of the goals to be attained by the group through the action of its leader (Rost, 1991). Well-being is a complex, multidimensional construct, which targets the individual as a whole, considering it in its multiple physical, social and psychological dimensions (Biswas-Diener, 2008; Lyubomirsky et al, 2005; Diener, 2000). It is often discussed in the literature in the light of two major perspectives (hedonic and eudaemonic) and studied as a factor, element or variable that influences staff performance and organisational effectiveness (Danna and Griffin, 1999; Wright and Cropanzano, 2004; Harter et al, 2003). Having established the relationship between well-being and organisational effectiveness, it is necessary to understand how leaders influence the well-being of their employees.