Auf welchen Wegen beeinflusst alter(n)sgerechtes Führungsverhalten die Mitarbeitergesundheit?

Abstract

AbstractAccording to Wegge et al. (2014), leadership behavior can affect employee health in several ways. The model describes leaders (1) as actors with a direct influence on the health of employees, (2) as designers of work systems, (3) as a moderating factor (buffer/amplifier) of the effects of work requirements and resources on health, (4) as a developer of group climate and identification and (5) as direct role models for health-related behavior. In order to collect evidence for the usefulness of this multi-path model, connections between age-differentiated leadership (ADL) and health were analyzed in 947 employees of a German technology company. ADL is a management style that takes into account the particularities of mixed-age teams and also differentiates between the different needs of different age groups. It was found that better ADL (when controlling for employee-oriented leadership) is associated with fewer physical and psychological complaints (pathway 1). This relationship is mediated by the manager’s social support (path 2) and a better recreational climate in the team (path 4). Better ADL also reduced the negative effects of psychological work demands on the psychological symptoms (pathway 3).Practical Relevance: This article provides practical evidence for the multi-way model of leadership and health. Using the example of age-differentiated leadership (ADL)—with control of employee-oriented leadership—it was also found that this leadership behavior has a positive effect on the mental and physical health of employees via four different paths and should therefore be encouraged.