The shadows of digitisation: on the losses of health-oriented leadership in the face of ICT hassles

Abstract

ABSTRACT Research shows positive effects of health-oriented leadership (HoL) on employees. However, the increasing spread of working from home may challenge leadership effectiveness. This study examines whether ICT hassles weaken the positive relationships between HoL and follower outcomes. Effectiveness of HoL was tested as perceived by employees while working from home for 1) employee exhaustion with an experimental vignette study (N = 138), and 2) employee strain and engagement in a survey with two measurement points (N = 214). Results provided evidence for lower exhaustion and strain, and higher engagement with more HoL. Results also showed higher exhaustion and strain, and lower engagement with more ICT hassles. Moreover, the relationships of HoL with employee outcomes were weaker with more ICT hassles. Findings provide initial evidence that HoL positively affects employees when working from home, but that its effectiveness may be impaired by technical issues. Findings suggest that in order to maintain the effectiveness of HoL while working from home, organisations must provide reliable IT equipment and technical support. The study ties in with research on digital leadership and leadership effectiveness and contributes to the deeper understanding of situational contingencies of health-specific leadership during the process of digitisation.