Leader-Member Exchange And Leadership-Induced Stress: When And How Coworker Support Matters

Abstract

This study examined the extent to which Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) can predict leadership-induced stress (stress that employees experience which they believe is caused by their organizational leaders), and whether and how coworker support intervene in this prediction. A total of 620 junior and middle cadre employees, who were randomly selected, participated in the study. Three hypotheses were tested with a moderated (hierarchical) regression analysis, three simple regression analysis, and a multiple regression analysis. Results show that LMX significantly predicted leadership-induced stress, and that there is no significant interaction of LMX and coworker support on leadership-induced stress. However, coworker support significantly mediated the influence of LMX on leadership-induced stress. The findings were discussed in the light of reviewed theoretical and empirical literatures while implications for the realities of organizational leadership and employees’ report of stress vis-à-vis their well being, especially in organizations in the developing world, were highlighted.