Relationship between Leadership and Well-Being at Work – Evidence from a European Social Survey

Subjective and emotional well-being attracts the attention of Bulgarian and foreign authors who focus on various research approaches. In the context of the complex conceptual nature of well-being, the role of leadership as a factor in employee satisfaction in work teams stands out. In this article, the relationship between specific leadership approaches and well-being at work will be surveyed in 10 European countries – Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Finland, France, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary. The analysis confirms that there is a relationship between employee satisfaction and a) support from managers regarding the balance between work and personal commitments and b) managers’ willingness to give work-related help or advice, if needed. Leadership with understanding of employees’ need for balance in their lives has been shown to be a significant predictor of well-being. Work-related professional help and advice also correlates positively with satisfaction at work. A lot of studies confirm that higher levels of work-related well-being are associated with greater labor productivity. The present analysis contributes to a deeper understanding of the significant role of leaders at different management levels in achieving organizational goals through successful models of interaction with employees. The study of leadership and its relationship to employee well-being provides new opportunities for successful management practices.