Motivational theorist from both the field of management and psychology has been studying the intricate relationship between organisational leadership and employee stress levels at workplace. These studies have come up with the fact that there is a co relation between leadership and employee health and wellbeing. Hence employee stress is a significant issue in the industrial world which needs urgent attention.

According to the WHO, a mentally healthy employee is one who is in a state of wellbeing and is able to manage with common stresses and when it is unmanageable then it starts with burn out. In May 2019 WHO recognised burnout as a medical condition in its International classification of diseases.

Among various factors contributing to employee stress, the leadership style plays an important role. A leader’s behaviour and personality plays a significant impact in shaping the minds of the team he leads and the productivity. Among various leadership styles, the Autocratic leadership is the most notorious in effect. An Autocratic leader use their power in making unilateral decision making and give very small space and responsibility to their subordinates. Building and maintaining employees and developing skills in them is the function of a leader. Unfortunately, an autocratic leader misses this core function and becomes a toxic leader fumigating the workplace with negative emotions resulting in stress among the knowledge workers. His virulent behaviour impacts the emotional balance with a cascading effect on motivation causing absenteeism and burnout.

The knowledge worker is a term coined by the management guru Peter drunker in the 50s emphasising the class of workers who use data information analysis and communication and are thus well educated and knowledgeable providing value to the organisation. The dissipation of knowledge and value creation is a highly intrinsic process of the body –mind- intellect and hence is a creative process. Any creative pursuit comes from deep emotion and connects with the environment and hence in business situations also a creative process is in motion. This is the reason that we use the term talent management as a key skill required by leaders to deliver result, which unfortunately autocratic leaders don’t have.

In the maritime sector too many Captains and Chief engineers are autocratic creating unbearable stress among the mariners. Such leaders need to be counselled with a behavioural modification therapy such that they develop the right attitude in managing human element in a sailing vessel.

Marex Media