Transformational leadership and psychological well-being: The mediating role of meaningful work.
Abstract
Two studies investigated the relationship between transformational leadership, the meaning that individuals ascribe to their work, and their psychological well-being. In Study 1, the perceptions of meaningful work partially mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and positive affective well-being in a sample of Canadian health care workers (N=319). In Study 2, the meaning that a separate sample of service workers (N=146) ascribed to their work fully mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and psychological well-being, after controlling for humanistic work beliefs. Overall, these results support and add to the range of positive mental health effects associated with transformational leadership and are suggestive of interventions that organizations can make to improve well-being of workers.
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The feeling of making meaningful contributions at work, that is, performing well, is rewarding in its own right, leading to job satisfaction and well-being.
“The feeling of making meaningful contributions at work, that is, performing well, is rewarding in its own right, leading to job satisfaction and well-being (K. A. Arnold, Turner, Barling, Kelloway, & McKee, 2007;Judge et al., 2001).”
From What satisfies younger versus older employees, and why? An aging perspective on equity theory to explain interactive effects of employee age, monetary rewards, and task contributions on job satisfaction (2020) · cites this paper as K. A. Arnold, Turner, Barling, Kelloway, & McKee, 2007
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Arnold, K. A., Turner, N., Barling, J., Kelloway, E. K., & McKee, M. C.
- Affiliations
- Memorial University of Newfoundland (CA)
- Queen's University (CA)
- St. Mary's University (CA)
- Venue
- Journal of Occupational Health Psychology
- Published
- 2007-07
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 193-203
- ISSN
- 1076-8998 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1307
- OpenAlex
- W2133105829
- Cited by
- 1,117
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 41 · 2025: 57 · 2024: 67 · 2023: 81 · 2022: 81 · 2021: 84 · 2020: 73 · 2019: 90 · 2018: 78 · 2017: 83 · 2016: 65 · 2015: 54 · 2014: 64 · 2013: 59 · 2012: 46
- FWCI
- 37.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Queen's School of Business
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Workplace Health and Well-being
- Keywords
- transformational leadership, meaningful work, psychological well-being, mediation, healthcare workers, service employees, employee mental health
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Canada, Female, Humans, Job Satisfaction, Leadership, Male, Middle Aged, Personal Satisfaction, Surveys and Questionnaires
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