Do Bad Bosses Create Unhealthy Workers?

October 26, 2011

Probably. That’s the conclusion reached in The Impact of Managerial Leadership on Stress and Health Among Employees, a thesis by Anna Nyburg at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

The author reviewed 5 studies on the topic; among the findings:

• Leadership may affect not only employees’ levels of stress, emotional exhaustion, and health, but also the extent to which they’re absent from work.
• Dictatorial management and lack of positive leadership are connected to an increase in symptoms of stress, emotional exhaustion, and risk of leaving the workplace due to poor health.
• Positive leadership is related to a lower incidence of heart disease among employees. The study found that health-promoting leadership includes providing workers with information, power, and clarity so they can carry out their job independently; encouraging employees to take part in development of the workplace; and acting with integrity.

The obvious implication for employers is that managers should be evaluated and rewarded based not only on their production, but on their ability to foster a culture that supports health.

For more insight, read Management Support: Inspiring Wellness Leadership.