The influence of leadership style on young workers' job satisfaction: the role of mediation of self-regulatory fatigue

Abstract

Objective To learn how the process of self-regulatory fatigue (SRF) mediates the effect of leadership styles on job satisfaction of young workers. Methods 723 young workers recruited from a business enterprise were required to response to questionnaire survey, including leader behavior description, self-regulatory fatigue and job satisfaction questionnaire. Results All young workers' job satisfaction was 3.78±0.69, 31 years old and above were higher than 30 years old and under(t=-3.246, P<0.01), and there was no significant difference in gender and education. Job satisfaction was significantly positively correlated with leadership style (rinitiating structure=0.210, rconsideration=0.272), and was significantly negatively correlated with self-regulatory fatigue (r=-0.333). Two dimensions of leadership styles, initiating structure (β=0.227, t=2.659, P<0.01) and consideration (β=0.270, t=5.035, P<0.01), had the predicted effects of job satisfaction (R2=0.098). Consideration dimension of leadership style had more influence on job satisfaction at the high level of self-regulatory fatigue (β=0.266, t=4.929, P<0.01); the effect of initiating structure dimention on job satisfaction was influenced by gender (t=-5.154, P<0.01); self-regulatory fatigue was mediator between leadership styles and job satisfaction, and the consideration dimension of leadership style had more mediation effect on job satisfaction than that of initiating structure dimention of leadership style (mediationconsideration=0.317, mediationinitiating structure=0.268). Conclusion Two dimensions of leadership style can affect job satisfaction, and are mediated by self-regulatory fatigue. The intervention of self-regulatory fatigue can help to improve the job satisfaction of young workers. Key words: Self-regulatory fatigue; Job satisfaction; Leadership styles; Mediation