Leadership Communication and its Impact on Employee Well-being: An Investigation in the European Food Industry

With an emphasis on how leadership communication affects employee well-being, this thesis delves into the complex dynamics of leadership communication in the European food industry. This study fills a significant gap in the literature on leadership, wherein employee well-being is frequently viewed as secondary to primary performance outcomes in leadership communication, leading to an omission of the psychological and emotional dimensions of employee health. This oversight is particularly noticeable in the food sector, where stress levels can be high and employee satisfaction sometimes falls short. The primary research question, “To what extent and how does leadership communication impact employee well-being in the European food industry?”, intends to investigate the extent and way in which leadership communication affects employee well-being. This study utilizes a mixed methods approach, incorporating both a quantitative survey and qualitative expert interviews. It aims to analyze the impact of two main leadership styles, transactional and transformational, alongside the influence of leaders’ emotional intelligence and perceived organizational support. The data was collected from employees across various roles within the European food industry, yielding a sample of 87 respondents, complemented by insights from four human resources professionals from both The Netherlands and Italy, thus providing a new perspective on existing leadership communication studies. The results indicated that transformational leadership significantly enhances employee well- being by fostering a supportive and inspiring environment. In contrast, transactional leadership showed minimal to no impact on well-being. Additionally, strong correlations were observed between high levels of perceived organizational support and leaders’ emotional intelligence, and positive employee well-being outcomes. Interestingly, the study also discovered the relevance of situational leadership, emphasizing the importance of adaptability in leadership styles to suit specific team needs and organizational goals. In conclusion, this thesis emphasizes the vital need for leadership approaches to evolve beyond traditional transactional techniques to embrace transformational traits alongside emotional intelligence. These elements are critical in cultivating a healthier, more productive workplace environment, which in turn improves employee satisfaction, happiness, and organizational efficacy within the European food industry.