Unlocking Optimal Employee Well-Being: Investigating the Impact of Empowering Leadership on Employee Flourishing and the Mediating Role of Psychological Safety
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2024-06-28
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en
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This study investigates the impact of empowering leadership on employee flourishing by examining the mediating role of psychological safety. Taking a broaden-and-build perspective, this research contributes to the positive psychology literature by examining the role of distinct positive emotions on the investigated relationships. Unlike previous studies that linked well-being to performance or preventing negative well-being outcomes, this study focuses on enhancing positive emotions for long-term flourishing.
To test the suggested hypotheses, quantitative data from a cross-sectional study (n=255) was utilized. The results confirmed that empowering leadership positively impacts flourishing and psychological safety. Furthermore, a positive relationship between psychological safety and flourishing was shown and an indirect positive effect of empowering leadership on flourishing through psychological safety. Based on the broaden-and-build theory, positive emotions resulting from empowering leadership lead to a psychologically safer work environment as employees are encouraged to participate in decision-making. Positive emotions arising from that, broaden employees’ thought-action repertoire and build personal resources. Through an upward spiral, positive emotions created by empowering leadership and psychological safety accumulate and increase employees’ abilities to flourish.
Despite some methodological limitations and the need for broader samples and diverse analyses in future research, the findings hold significant value for organizational practice.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen