Mitigating stress and burnout by implementing transformational‐leadership

Purpose To examine the impact of transformational‐leadership on job stress (JS) and the impact of (JS) on burnout. Design/methodology/approach Hospitality industry employees were interviewed regarding the type of leadership used by their managers, the stress they felt due to their jobs, and the degree to which they felt they were “burned out.” Findings Degree of perceived burnout is related to degree of perceived stress and degree of perceived stress is related to type of leadership employed by managers. Practical implications If employees perceive that their managers are using transformational‐leadership, (JS) is perceived as less than if it is perceived as not being used. Given the costs associated with employee replacement, reduced burnout means a reduction in those costs. And, the social and economic cost to society of treating employees who are “burned out” is reduced. Originality/value This paper shows that the relationship between type of leadership, (JS) and burnout is not only the province of “white collar” employees but extends to lower levels in the organizational hierarchy as well. Customer‐contact workers in hotels/motels and restaurants are subject to the same feelings as nurses or other professionals. It may not be the degree of stress that causes burnout. Both higher paid and lower paid workers understand that there is stress associated with their jobs and understand that change, by definition, is stressful; but the methods their managers use to encourage acceptance of change play a large role in how stressful such changes are perceived. The paper also points out how hospitality managers can mitigate stress and burnout of their employees by implementing transformational leadership methods and techniques and the challenges that they might face through this implementation process.