Gender and Leadership – Do Female Leaders Perform a Different, Better or even a Healthier Leadership Style?

Abstract

Organisations are facing new challenges due to the constantly changing world of work. In addition to technical developments and innovations in work and organisational processes, the human factor is increasingly becoming part of competitiveness. Businesses benefit greatly from their employees, their knowledge and skills during this fast-moving time. Healthy employees are a prerequisite for innovation, progress and growth, which must be protected as part of a sustainable corporate strategy. Thus, in scientific discussions, both, workplace health promotion and healthy leadership are considered to be successful components in dealing with volatile, dynamic and complex conditions. The conduct of executives has a significant influence on the well-being of the employees and thus a direct effect on the company's success. Managers can influence social relationships, as well as prevailing work situations -and finally the health status of employees. In occupational science studies, as well as in leadership research, the differences in leadership between men and women are analysed. There are very few studies on healthy leadership, which examine gender differences more closely. This article deals with the question of how gender differences affect leadership behaviour, leadership styles, and ultimately leading employees in a health oriented way.

Health-oriented leadership, gender-differences and job satisfaction: results from a representative population-based study in Germany

“…The aim of this study was (1) to explore the relationships between HoL and the health status assessed by employees and leaders, (2) to analyse the relationships between HoL and the job satisfaction as a non-health-related outcome for employees and leaders and (3) to examine differences in the assessment of HoL between men and women in a representative dataset of the working population in Germany.…”

“…In order to create a health-promoting workplace and to have healthy employees, it is necessary to comply with the legal requirements. Besides, healthy employees are relevant for the success of an organization, for innovation, progress, and growth [1,2]. Work demands, work stress and shift work are negatively correlated with the health and well-being of employees [3][4][5].…”

“…The aim of this study is (1) to explore the relationships between HoL and health status rated by employees and leaders, (2) to analyze the relationships between HoL and job satisfaction as a non-health-related outcome for employees and leaders and (3) to examine differences in the assessment of HoL between men and women in a representative dataset of the working population in Germany. This work aims to shed more light to the state of research regarding the relationships between HoL and health-related as well as non-health-related outcomes and to provide a deeper insight from the leaders' perspective.…”

A German Model Project for Workplace Health Promotion—Flow of Communication, Information, and Reasons for Non-Participation in the Offered Measures

“…As both groups mentioned the lack of time as an obstacle to participation in the offered WHP measures, we recommend viewing participation time as an investment in employee health. Healthy employees are a prerequisite for innovation, progress, and growth [1,2]. Thus, managers should focus on integrating setting-related prevention aimed at adapting the individual workload (including working time) of employees so that they can participate in the offered measures.…”

“…It is important for companies to have healthy employees. In addition to fulfilling the legal requirements of occupational safety and health (OSH) and being relevant to the success of an organization, healthy employees are also a prerequisite for innovation, progress, and growth [1,2]. From an occupational (medical) and psychological point of view, it is of great importance to attain and improve physical and mental health [3].…”