This chapter focuses on the impact of leadership on employee stress in the hospitality industry. It is widely understood that work-related stress directly affects employees' physical and mental well-being. The chapter examines various reports on occupational stress. The study shows that the rapid evolution of technology and competitive environments contribute to increased employee stress. Such stress is detrimental to both employees and employers. Occupational stress arises from multiple factors, including the work setting, leadership, organizational aspects, and individual or group dynamics. Understanding and addressing each factor is crucial in mitigating stress. Leaders should manage their teams and exhibit their best leadership traits. Effective leadership directly influences employee stress levels. Reducing occupational stress will lead to positive and advantageous individual and organizational outcomes.
Top1. Introduction
Work has become faster and more random in today's fast-changing world with advancing technology and tough competition (Kumar & Kumar, 2023). It is also true in the hospitality industry, where employees face diverse customers from different places and must remain stress-free. To help employees be stress-free, creating a stress-free environment is important (Kundu et al., 2022). In such situations, leaders play a big role. They should show good leadership so employees can freely express their thoughts. Leaders should ensure that employees are part of important management decisions (Kotter, 2017). When employees' opinions are valued, they feel happier, can freely share ideas, and experience less stress (Goleman, 2017).
Stress is how people react to demands from their surroundings (Faulkner & Patiar, 1997). As the hospitality industry evolves, there is pressure to keep up. Leaders make new rules to stay competitive, which can stress employees. A small amount of stress can improve work performance (Mohan, 2017). However, too much stress can harm employees' mental health and lower their spirits.
Employee stress can come from organizational, individual, group, and leadership factors. It is crucial to understand these factors to reduce employee stress. In the hospitality industry, employees often deal with long hours, unclear roles, and low motivation (Zhao et al., 2016). These factors can increase their stress and lower their performance. Leaders can make a difference by clarifying roles, dividing tasks fairly, and lessening workloads.
Cooper and Dewe (2008) mentioned that it is widely accepted that tackling stress in the hospitality industry is good for both employees and employers. So, leaders must work hard to manage employees well, reducing their stress and avoiding harm to the organization. Leaders should implement effective management policies.
In exploring leadership's impact on followers’ health, Nielsen and Taris (2019) raised questions about defining “good” leadership, promoting positive leadership styles, understanding long-term effects, and recognizing boundary conditions. It emphasizes the need for further research to comprehend leadership's effects on employee well-being fully. Transformational leadership usually links positively with well-being, but various mediators that affect this relationship must be studied (Arnold, 2017). Huertas-Valdivia et al. (2022) explored eleven leadership research areas, with transformational and servant leadership being the most prominent approaches. Servant leaders can address major challenges in the hospitality industry, providing a potential solution in the wider business context's pursuit of integrity and ethical conduct amid abuses and corruption (Brownell, 2010).
The employee work elements like limited job control and organizational changes play a role in job insecurity, impacting mental and physical well-being (Geuskens et al., 2012; Keim et al., 2014). Despite various studies associating job insecurity with negative health outcomes, it is essential to integrate both subjective and objective measures to gain a thorough understanding (Cheng & Chan, 2008; Pereg et al., 2011).