Published February 21, 2025 in Leadership ⢠8 min read ⢠
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Work is becoming ever more demanding, taking a heavy toll on employees’ mental health and well-being. According to a landmark survey by Leslie Perlow and Jessica Porter at Harvard Business School, 94% of 1,000 professionals reported working 50 or more hours a week, with nearly half working more than 65 hours. Most also spent 20 to 25 hours a week monitoring their phones and e-mails when out of the office. Post-pandemic data shows that technology-assisted work during âfree timeâ has accelerated with negative consequences for mental health.
Recent figures from the American Institute of Stress showed that 80% of employees feel stress at work, with a third suffering from exhaustion and 44% feeling overworked. In the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns, a 2022 study by McKinsey of 15 countries worldwide found that four in five HR leaders acknowledged that employee mental health and well-being were priorities for their organizations.
So, what is the most effective way of tackling the work stress pandemic? Encouraging and enabling rest and recovery allows employees to disconnect from work pressures and return the next day feeling refreshed and capable of performing at their best. Leaders play a critical role in fostering an environment that supports recovery through psychological detachment.
Managers are trained to motivate and enhance employeesâ investment in work to improve outcomes, but they are rarely taught about the damage that a lack of recovery time can cause.
In our research, we explored the vital role that leadership support plays in employee recovery. We focused on which leadership behaviors have the most impact, such as showing empathy for recovery, respect for boundaries between work and leisure time, and the role modeling of healthy recovery behaviors.
Psychological detachment allows us to disengage from work-related thoughts and activities during non-work time. It is crucial for recovery, as it replenishes our cognitive and emotional resources. Without adequate psychological detachment, employees experience work-related stress during time off, at home, and on vacation, which can lead to exhaustion and burnout.
Research has shown that psychological detachment is among the most important mechanisms for aiding recovery and boosting well-being. It enables employees (and managers) to âswitch offâ and recover from the cognitive and emotional demands of their jobs. Those who experience effective detachment during non-working hours report lower levels of emotional exhaustion and are more likely to feel refreshed and energized when they return to work, leading to improved performance and emotional resilience.
A primary outcome of sustained stress at work is emotional exhaustion, characterized by feeling mentally and physically depleted. Employees who fail to detach from work remain in a heightened state of stress that prevents the restoration of their emotional and physical resources. Over time, this can lead to burnout, a state of chronic exhaustion that severely impacts job performance and personal health and well-being.
âLeaders serve as powerful role models by practicing healthy recovery behaviors themselves â such as taking regular breaks, disconnecting after work, taking vacations, and discussing the importance of rest.â
Employees who successfully detach from work are more likely to experience what researchers call a “morning recovery state”, a condition where they feel refreshed, energized, and ready to tackle the day’s challenges. This is crucial for maintaining consistent job performance and emotional resilience.
Leaders play a significant role in their employeesâ ability to rest and recover. Here are three ways they can help:
Empathy for recovery: Leaders who understand the need for recovery and acknowledge the challenges their employees face in balancing work and leisure contribute to a more supportive environment. Empathy for recovery involves recognizing when employees are overworked or stressed and offering support through active listening and understanding.
Respecting boundaries: Leaders who respect the boundaries between work and personal time help employees mentally switch off. This involves refraining from contacting employees outside office hours, not expecting immediate responses to work-related inquiries, and being mindful of how work demands may impact employeesâ personal lives.
Role modeling: Leaders serve as powerful role models by practicing healthy recovery behaviors themselves â such as taking regular breaks, disconnecting after work, taking vacations, and discussing the importance of rest. They send a signal that recovery is not only acceptable but also necessary for sustained performance and well-being.
These dimensions work together to create an environment where employees feel empowered to prioritize their recovery without fear of judgment or negative repercussions.
In a series of seven studies, supported by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and featuring 1,111 participants in Germany and Israel, we examined how leaders showed responsibility and support for their teams and how this affected employeesâ recovery in terms of psychological detachment and well-being. In the first six studies, we developed measurement scales to understand the behaviors that leaders showed to support recovery responsibly. We found that the three aspects mentioned above formed the foundation of leadersâ support for employee recovery.
In our seventh and final study, we conducted a âdiaryâ study with 175 German-speaking employees from various jobs and industries.
They answered daily surveys for two consecutive weeks in the evenings (after 8.30pm) and the mornings (after 5am), resulting in 871 evening surveys and 1,063 morning surveys. We found that, of the three main established aspects, respect for boundaries was the most important in enabling employeesâ psychological detachment from work in the evening and their subsequent well-being before the start of the next workday. Crucially, our research showed that the efficacy of leadersâ support for recovery (covering all three aspects) and, in particular, their empathy for recovery depended on the nature of their relationships with their employees.
âWell-rested and mentally refreshed employees are more creative, productive, and capable of handling complex tasks. â
Our study found that the quality of the leader-employee relationship was crucial for an employeeâs ability to benefit from leadership support for recovery and to detach from work. To establish this, we asked employees to report the quality of this relationship by using the âleader-member exchangeâ (LMX) measure, which assesses the distinct social exchange relationships that leaders cultivate with their employees.
Employees in low-quality LMX relationships, which focus on economic exchanges shaped by contractual obligations, may not trust their leaders’ intentions even if they express support for recovery and well-being. This lack of trust undermines the effectiveness of any leadership support: employees may hesitate or struggle to fully detach from work, fearing that doing so might be viewed as a lack of commitment or dedication.
High-quality LMX relationships extend beyond basic economic exchanges and are characterized by trust, mutual respect, and open communication. In such relationships, employees are more likely to believe that their leaders genuinely care about their well-being, making them more receptive to any leadership support for recovery: employees trust that their leaders have their best interests at heart. This trust allows employees to feel secure in taking the necessary steps to recover. They are more likely to take advantage of opportunities to rest and recharge.
Effective leadership support for recovery does not just benefit individual well-being â it has an impact at the broader organizational level. For instance, in our study, we found that employees who attained psychological detachment from work because of leader support for recovery were more likely to report lower levels of emotional exhaustion. This can enhance employee engagement, job performance, and loyalty, implying reduced turnover and recruitment costs.
Well-rested and mentally refreshed employees are more creative, productive, and capable of handling complex tasks. They are less likely to make errors and more likely to contribute positively to team dynamics. In contrast, employees who are overworked and unable to detach from work are more prone to mistakes, lower productivity, and higher absenteeism.
Organizations that promote recovery as part of their culture are better positioned to attract and retain top talent. As work-life balance becomes an increasingly important factor in career decisions, organizations that support recovery will stand out as employers of choice. By fostering a recovery-friendly environment, companies can differentiate themselves in a competitive job market and build a reputation as a great place to work.
âAvoid unnecessary communication after work hours and ensure that employees are not expected to complete tasks during their time off.â
To foster an environment that supports employee recovery, leaders should consider adopting the following practical strategies:
Build high-quality relationships: High LMX relationships are foundational to the effectiveness of leader support for recovery. Leaders should invest time in building rapport with their employees, fostering open communication, and demonstrating that they truly care about their well-being. This trust is crucial for encouraging employees to prioritize recovery.
Respect boundaries: Leaders must be mindful of the boundaries between work and personal life. Avoid unnecessary communication after work hours and ensure that employees are not expected to complete tasks during their time off. By respecting these boundaries, leaders reinforce the message that recovery matters and should be prioritized.
Show empathy for recovery needs: Leaders should actively listen to their employees and be attentive to signs of overwork or stress. Empathetic leaders create a supportive environment where their teams feel comfortable discussing their recovery needs and taking the necessary steps to detach from work.
âRole modelâ recovery behaviors: Although role modeling did not materially impact recovery in our empirical study, it is important for leaders to practice healthy recovery behaviors themselves â such as taking regular breaks, disconnecting after work, and engaging in leisure activities. These behaviors demonstrate that recovery is acceptable and encouraged, valued within the organization, and essential for long-term success.
Leadership support for recovery is critical to employee well-being and long-term organizational success. By promoting psychological detachment from work, leaders help their employees manage stress, reduce exhaustion, and maintain high levels of job performance. Crucially, the quality of the leader-employee relationship is fundamental in determining how effectively any leadership support translates into employee recovery.
Organizations should encourage leaders to build strong, trusting relationships with their employees, respect boundaries between work and personal life, show empathy for employees’ recovery needs, and engage in healthy recovery behaviors themselves. This approach to supporting recovery, coupled with high-quality relationships, ensures that employees can prioritize their recovery and well-being when off work.
As work-life balance becomes an increasingly important consideration for employees, leadership support for recovery is no longer a luxury but a necessity for organizations. Those who prioritize and support recovery will not only see improvements in employee well-being but also benefit from higher engagement, lower employee turnover, and enhanced performance.
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