IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jmerit/v5y2025i1p3-d1576231.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

When Leaders Are Safe Havens: How Secure Base Leadership Buffers the Impact of Emotional Demands on Exhaustion

Author

Listed:
  • María C. Navas-Jiménez

    (Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), 28040 Madrid, Spain)

  • Ana Laguia

    (Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), 28040 Madrid, Spain)

  • Rocio Schettini

    (Fundación de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain)

  • Fidel Rodríguez-Batalla

    (Fundación de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain)

  • David Guillén-Corchado

    (Centro Asociado Madrid, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), 28012 Madrid, Spain)

  • Juan A. Moriano

    (Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), 28040 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

Based on attachment theory, this research explores Secure Base Leadership’s (SBL) efficacy in mitigating the negative impact of emotional demands on employee exhaustion, with an aim to reduce burnout rates and improve workplace well-being. A survey sample of 428 Spanish employees from various sectors was collected, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the research model. Emotional demands were found to significantly increase employee exhaustion, whereas SBL reduced and moderated these effects, proving its protective function. Furthermore, increased exhaustion was associated with longer tenure and employment in private organizations. Findings support integrating SBL in leadership development to foster a supportive environment, mitigate burnout, and boost employee well-being. Highlighting the application of attachment theory in organizational settings, this study contributes to understanding SBL’s effectiveness against emotional demands, guiding leadership practices to enhance organizational health.

Suggested Citation

  • María C. Navas-Jiménez & Ana Laguia & Rocio Schettini & Fidel Rodríguez-Batalla & David Guillén-Corchado & Juan A. Moriano, 2025. "When Leaders Are Safe Havens: How Secure Base Leadership Buffers the Impact of Emotional Demands on Exhaustion," Merits, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jmerit:v:5:y:2025:i:1:p:3-:d:1576231
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8104/5/1/3/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8104/5/1/3/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sergio Edú-Valsania & Ana Laguía & Juan A. Moriano, 2022. "Burnout: A Review of Theory and Measurement," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-27, February.
    2. Juan A. Moriano & Fernando Molero & Ana Laguía & Mario Mikulincer & Phillip R. Shaver, 2021. "Security Providing Leadership: A Job Resource to Prevent Employees’ Burnout," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-12, November.
    3. Joana Duarte & Hanne Berthelsen & Mikaela Owen, 2020. "Not All Emotional Demands Are the Same: Emotional Demands from Clients’ or Co-Workers’ Relations Have Different Associations with Well-Being in Service Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-15, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lev S. Mazelis & Kirill I. Lavrenyuk & Gleb V. Grenkin, 2023. "Analysis of the Relation Between Expectation of Employees from Corporate Environment and their Burnout," Journal of Applied Economic Research, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 22(4), pages 1034-1055.
    2. Zhikun Yue & Xungang Zheng & Shasha Zhang & Linling Zhong & Wang Zhang, 2024. "Influencing Path of Consumer Digital Hoarding Behavior on E-Commerce Platforms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Nils Olson & Renate Oberhoffer & Barbara Reiner & Thorsten Schulz, 2025. "Health Behaviors Among Students and Their Association with Stress, Student Burnout and Study Engagement," Societies, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-19, May.
    4. Lea Simms & Katherine E. Ottman & James L. Griffith & Michael G. Knight & Lorenzo Norris & Viktoriya Karakcheyeva & Brandon A. Kohrt, 2023. "Psychosocial Peer Support to Address Mental Health and Burnout of Health Care Workers Affected by COVID-19: A Qualitative Evaluation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-18, March.
    5. Lev S. Mazelis & Gleb V. Grenkin & Kirill I. Lavrenyuk, 2024. "Model of the Influence of Employee Competencies on Performance Considering Burnout," Journal of Applied Economic Research, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 23(1), pages 227-250.
    6. Li, Xue & Seah, Rachel Yan Ting & Yuen, Kum Fai, 2025. "Mental wellbeing in digital workplaces: The role of digital resources, technostress, and burnout," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    7. Remus Sibisanu & Stanislav Cseminschi & Andreea Ionica & Monica Leba & Anca Draghici & Yunis Nassar, 2024. "Investigating School Principals’ Burnout: A Cross-Cultural Perspective on Stress, Sustainability, and Organizational Climate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-17, August.
    8. Ana Laguia & María C. Navas-Jiménez & Rocio Schettini & Fidel Rodríguez-Batalla & David Guillén & Juan A. Moriano, 2024. "Effects of Secure Base Leadership vs. Avoidant Leadership on Job Performance," Businesses, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-15, September.
    9. Alexandra Costa & Teresa Caldas de Almeida & Mónica Fialho & Célia Rasga & Hugo Martiniano & Osvaldo Santos & Ana Virgolino & Astrid Moura Vicente & Maria João Heitor, 2023. "Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals: Two Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Portugal," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-21, February.
    10. Laura Petitta & Valerio Ghezzi, 2023. "Remote, Disconnected, or Detached? Examining the Effects of Psychological Disconnectedness and Cynicism on Employee Performance, Wellbeing, and Work–Family Interface," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(13), pages 1-24, July.
    11. Romualdas Malinauskas & Mantas Grinevicius & Vilija Malinauskiene, 2022. "Burnout among Telecommunication Sales Managers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-15, September.
    12. Michalec, Barret & Cuddy, Monica M. & Price, Yvonne & Hafferty, Frederic W., 2024. "U.S. physician burnout and the proletarianization of U.S. doctors: A theoretical reframing," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 358(C).
    13. Dáilet Fredes-Collarte & Víctor Olivares-Faúndez & José Carlos Sánchez-García & Jenniffer Peralta Montecinos, 2024. "Work Satisfaction and Its Relationship with Burnout and Its Consequences, Using a Structural Model, in Air Cabin Crew Members," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-16, November.
    14. Katarzyna Tomaszewska & Bożena Majchrowicz & Katarzyna Snarska & Beata Guzak, 2023. "Psychosocial Burden and Quality of Life of Surveyed Nurses during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-11, January.
    15. Gregor Wolbring & Aspen Lillywhite, 2023. "Burnout through the Lenses of Equity/Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Disabled People: A Scoping Review," Societies, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-31, May.
    16. Rosa María Diaz Vizcaya & María José Rodríguez Rivas & Helia Mariño Méndez & María Teresa Alvés Pérez & José López Castro, 2023. "Euro-Burn I: Assessment of burnout syndrome in health workers in a mediterranean country during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 69(7), pages 1682-1692, November.
    17. Jingyu Zhang & Yao Fu & Zizheng Guo & Ranran Li & Qiaofeng Guo, 2022. "How Work-Family Conflict Influenced the Safety Performance of Subway Employees during the Initial COVID-19 Pandemic: Testing a Chained Mediation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-14, September.
    18. Rogie Royce Carandang & Forter Puguon Jr. & Mary Louisse Santos & Elizabeth Ilagan & Kellie Gwyneth Gamboa & Jose Gerardo Aquino, 2024. "Burnout and Turnover Intention Among Community and Hospital Pharmacists in Metro Manila, Philippines," Merits, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-12, December.
    19. Mao Zhao & Yating Yu & Mei Zhong & Bingpeng Lin, 2025. "Challenge-hindrance stressors and innovative performance among dental graduate students in China: a moderated mediation model," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    20. Jenna Saud & John Rice, 2024. "Stress, Teamwork, and Wellbeing Policies: A Synergistic Approach to Reducing Burnout in Public Sector Organizations," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-19, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jmerit:v:5:y:2025:i:1:p:3-:d:1576231. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.