The Role of Leaders

There is growing literature on the important role that leaders play in advancing cultures of health in the workplace across different organizational settings.

The World Health Organization framework for risk and protective factors for mental health indicates that positive leadership is an attribute of work culture that influences the environment in a way that may support mental health in the workplace. By contrast, it appears that negative leadership styles have the potential to adversely impact physical and mental health.

Studies show that behaviours of leaders and supervisors influence the actions and job performance of employees and that unsupportive managers are associated with poorer employee health and higher turnover.

Recent studies show that having an unsupportive supervisor is associated with poor heart health.

A 2018 analysis of Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index data found that not trusting your supervisor was associated with an increased adjusted odds of having many risk factors for cardiovascular disease (based on the American Heart Association’s definition of ideal cardiovascular health called Life’s Simple 7).

Among workers whose supervisor created a mistrustful environment, the odds ratios were the greatest (>20%) for having four or more Life’s Simple 7 risk factors, that is, having poor heart health.

The American Heart Association has defined ideal cardiovascular health based on seven risk factors (Life’s Simple 7) that people can improve through lifestyle changes: smoking status, physical activity, weight, diet, blood glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure