Need-supportive leadership behaviors and sickness absence among employees : the mediating role of basic psychological need satisfaction

Research exploring relationships between leadership behaviors and sickness absence is scarce. Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), the present study examined: (i) the relationship between need-supportive leadership and sickness absence; and (ii) whether satisfaction of the basic psychological needs mediates the relationship between need-supportive leadership and sickness absence. Municipal employees (n = 347, 78% women, age span = 19–66 years) provided baseline data on perceived need-supportive leadership and reported their need satisfaction at work 8 weeks later. Sickness absence data were obtained from municipality records. Two-part regression models showed that need-supportive leadership was negatively associated with sick days (b = −0.28, 95% CI [−0.45, −0.11]). Need-supportive leadership had an indirect effect on the number of sick days through a composite score of need satisfaction (ab = −1.96, 95% CI [−5.11, −0.12]). Mediation models with each need separately indicated that autonomy (ab = −2.12, 95% CI [−5.33, −0.23]) and relatedness (ab = −1.33, 95% CI [−3.41, −0.11]) mediated the relationship between need-supportive leadership and number of sick days. Need-supportive leadership and need satisfaction at work may function as protective factors that provide followers with opportunities to deal with symptoms of ill health and reduce the risk of prolonged sickness absence.