Abstract. The present study investigates the relationship between health-specific leadership and employee burnout. Health-specific leadership is a domain-specific leadership style that is characterized by the focus of leaders on employee well-being and their intentional support of employee health. Following the theory, I argue that managers influence employee burnout not only directly but also indirectly by encouraging employees to take care of their own health. Further, I extend the scope of previous research and argue that managers’ personal initiative acts as a moderator for health-specific leadership; as indicated by previous research, proactivity is crucial for effective leadership behavior. A cross-sectional questionnaire study (n = 525) was conducted. Health-specific leadership, managers’ personal initiative, employee self-care, and employee burnout symptoms have been measured. A moderated mediation was tested using structural equation modeling. The findings confirm a positive relationship between health-specific leadership and employee burnout. As expected, this relationship is partially mediated by employee self-care. Managers’ personal initiative shows an interaction effect on employee self-care but not on burnout symptoms. The study results verify the concept of health-specific leadership and highlight the importance of proactive leadership behavior as a facilitator for health-specific leadership. Finally, implications for leadership research and practice are provided.

The Wellbeing Game uses game design elements to promote wellbeing. Players document their daily activities in the game and categorize them to one or more of five wellbeing-related factors. The users join teams and can create team events to work together and improve their wellbeing status. The present study aims to review the application and the theoretical base of ‘The Wellbeing Game’, to adapt it to the German context, and to evaluate its health effects in different settings. Additional aims are to analyze the current state of research regarding the links between health, wellbeing, and gamification and to identify crucial game design elements that have to be implemented in the application in order to address the needs of competence, autonomy, and social relatedness according to the self-determination theory.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate individual and work-related resources (decision latitude, self-efficacy and work-related sense of coherence) and their relationship to health and work outcomes (general health, cognitive and emotional irritation, and work satisfaction) among German school principals. Method: In 2016, all teachers and principals in Lower Saxony, Germany, were invited to participate in an online-based cross-sectional study. Data from a sub-set of 1,026 school principals and members of the school leadership team (i.e. vice principals) were analysed using univariate and bivariate analysis and stepwise linear regression. Results: Findings revealed fairly high levels of self-efficacy and decision latitude and low levels of sense of coherence for administrative tasks. With regards to health, more than one quarter of respondents reported a poor general health status, and more than one third reported being dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their work. Primary school principals were more often affected by low levels of resources as well as lower health status and work satisfaction. Based on a series of regression analyses, decision latitude and self-efficacy proved to be the strongest predictors of all health and work outcomes. Conclusion: Given that school leaders are of critical importance for their entire school, this professional group should be placed more firmly in the focus of school health education and promotion. There is a particular need for health promotion measures for primary school principals, who have the least resources and the lowest health status.

BACKGROUND: Managers have a significant impact on the health and well-being of employees, particularly when the managers lead in a health-specific way and intentionally foster their employees' health. However, the data on contextual and individual factors influencing the practice of health-specific leadership is at present limited. OBJECTIVE: To survey the experiences of healthcare managers with health-specific leadership skills and identify the drivers and barriers in the practice of health-specific leadership. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 51 managers from 18 geriatric-care facilities in Germany, between November 2014 and February 2015. The interviews were analysed through qualitative content analysis. RESULTS:In their reports, managers mentioned several drivers and barriers in the practice of health-specific leadership. These drivers and barriers were found at the leader level, the employee level, and the organizational level. The factors identified relate to the theoretical aspects of health-specific leadership: health value, health awareness, health behaviour, and role modelling. CONCLUSION: For successful practice of health-specific leadership, the findings suggest a more holistic approach for worksite health promotion. Managers should promote personal initiative that benefit employee health, encourage their employees to exhibit healthy behaviour themselves, address organizational resources and restrictions, and gain competencies in change management.

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