How supportive and challenging behaviors of leaders promote employees' thriving at work: An examination of underlying mechanisms

Abstract

Although leadership is an important driver of employees' psychological well-being, questions remain as to how leaders' behaviors shape employees' thriving at work. The present study examines how individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation differently impact employees’ vitality and learning (thriving at work) via different affective and cognitive routes. Using a serial mediation model, we propose that leaders exhibiting individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation behaviors are perceived by employees as warm and competent. These perceptions foster employees' affective and cognitive trust in their leaders, subsequently promoting vitality and learning. To correspond with our proposed mediation model, we adopted a study design that involved four waves of data collected from Indian managerial employees. The results support the serial mediation model. Our study provides a precise understanding of the psychological processes that facilitate employee thriving. It also provides insights for practitioners seeking to understand why employees thrive and explore strategies to promote their well-being.