Les effets du leadership laissez-faire et le rôle de l’estime de soi des employés

Based on social exchange theory, this study examines the negative effects of supervisors’ laissez-faire leadership on the perceived quality of employee–supervisor relationships, normative commitment, and employee voice behavior. The study further considers employee self-esteem as a factor that can affect the work outcomes of interest and moderate the effects of laissez-faire leadership. Based on data collected from a sample of employees and their supervisors working in the service sector in the Quebec province (n = 216), we observed that laissez-faire leadership was negatively associated with the quality of employee-supervisor relationships but was unrelated to normative commitment and employee voice behavior. Employee self-esteem was positively associated with the quality of employee–supervisor relationships and voice behavior. Moreover, employee self-esteem acted as a moderator of the effects of laissez-faire leadership such that laissez-faire leadership was negatively and significantly related to the quality of employee-supervisor relationships, normative commitment, and voice behavior, only when employee self-esteem was high. When employee self-esteem was low, the effects of laissez-faire leadership on the quality of employee–supervisor relationships and normative commitment were non-significant. However, interestingly, the effect of laissez-faire leadership on employee voice behavior was significant and positive. These results have important implications for the understanding of the effects of laissez-faire leadership in work organizations, on which we elaborate in the discussion.