Who cares for those who care? The role of healthcare leaders’ regulation of followers’ emotions on follower job satisfaction

Abstract

In Australia and worldwide, healthcare is experiencing a workforce crisis, making the maintenance or improvement of job satisfaction a critical focus for healthcare leaders. This study examines how healthcare leaders influence followers’ affective experience by regulating their followers’ emotions. Building on Affective Events Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory, we investigate the influence of leaders’ use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression strategies on follower affect and job satisfaction. Data were collected from 337 healthcare workers and 54 leaders over two timepoints. Leaders’ reappraisal increased followers’ job satisfaction whereas suppression decreased job satisfaction (controlling for followers’ own emotion regulation strategies). These effects were mediated by followers’ affect and moderated by followers’ capacity to cope with change. Our results provide new theoretical and practical insights into how healthcare leaders regulate followers’ emotions. JEL Classification: D23, J24, M50.