The role of leader-employee communication in Health-oriented Leadership

Abstract This article in the journal Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation . investigates whether the quantity and quality of communication between employees and their leaders are related to their leaders’ StaffCare. StaffCare, a key component of the Health-oriented Leadership concept, reflects leaders’ commitment to promoting health and their awareness of employees’ needs. Previous studies have mainly focused on several job demands and resources that may influence leaders’ StaffCare, while the role of communication between leaders and followers has received less attention. This study examines communication factors on a dyadic level. Study 1 was designed as a two-wave study with two measurement points two months apart. The online survey was conducted across various industries and companies in Germany. Hierarchical regression analyses of N = 320 employees show that frequency, communication barriers, and general informal communication are significant predictors of StaffCare. Study 2 was designed as a cross-sectional online survey conducted within an international pharmaceutical company in Germany. It examines informal communication, particularly SmallTalk and DeepTalk, as well as factors such as relationship tenure and stigma toward mental health, defined as negative attitudes and reactions towards psychological strain or illness. For this analysis, only non-leadership employees were considered ( N = 199). Results confirm that both SmallTalk and DeepTalk have a significant influence on leaders’ StaffCare. Relationship tenure moderates the relationship, with long-term employees benefiting more from high-quality interactions. Perceived stigma toward mental health is negatively associated with StaffCare; however, the expected interaction effect with DeepTalk was not significant. This study extends the field of Health-oriented Leadership by identifying new antecedents of StaffCare. The findings underscore the importance of reducing workplace stigma toward mental health to create a health-supportive environment and suggest that leaders encourage both casual and in-depth conversations with employees. Additionally, leadership communication strategies should consider employees’ relationship tenure, as long-term employees gain more from these high-quality interactions.