The uneven distribution of psychosocial hazards within organisations, with Christina Boedker and Julia Connell.
Highlights
SafeWork Australia recently reported that work-related mental health conditions are on the rise, leading to the issue of the Code of Practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards. The Code mandates Australian employers to identify, assess and eliminate workplace psychosocial hazards and risks and suggests these are just as threatening to employees’ health as physical hazards. Drawing on Dark Triad literatures, this study examines the influence of leader psychopathy on subordinates’ emotional exhaustion. While previous studies have reported negative effects of leader psychopathy on subordinates’ work outcomes, to date, there has been a scarcity of studies examining how the burden of psychosocial leadership hazards falls across the workforce. The aim of this study is to investigate whether its influence is (un)evenly distributed across gender, age, and hierarchical position. Based on a national sample of 1541 Australian employees, the study finds a stronger influence of leader psychopathy on emotional exhaustion among female employees than among males, yet this is moderated by hierarchical status. Although leader psychopathy is found to positively influence emotional exhaustion across all age groups, the effect is stronger for older employees and those with managerial responsibilities. The study contributes to current literature and practice by identifying employees who are particularly vulnerable to psychosocial hazards while exploring implications for workplace practitioners and policy makers.
Cite: Wechtler, H, Boedker, C., & Connell, J. (2025). Leader psychopathy and workplace emotional exhaustion: An illustration of uneven distribution of psychosocial hazards within organisations. Safety Science.
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