The Influence of Leadership on Employees’ Mental Health: The Case of Lebanese Auditors in the Crisis Context

Many studies highlight the impact of leadership on employee’s performance and motivation. Yet, the characteristics of the leader in major disruptions to mental health have received little attention in the literature. In this article, we explore the impact and characteristics of the leadership style on employee’s mental health. We adopt an exploratory approach. The study uses a qualitative methodology and relies on two semi-directive questionnaires with open-ended questions addressed to employees (12 auditors working in several audit companies) of the auditing industry in Lebanon. These auditing firms are facing multiple challenges, trying to cope with the socio-economic collapse and post-COVID-19 crisis. The findings confirm the impact of the three leadership styles—charismatic, transformational, and sustainable—in a major disruption time and how they can foster employee well-being and engagement in a supportive environment. These findings may help to determine the appropriate strategies and the right paths that could enhance mental health at the workplace. These findings are supposed to create valuable insights for managers and researchers about establishing a healthy workplace.