The influence of authentic leadership and interactional justice on the well-being of employees in the financial sector: the role of the leader’s affective presence

Purpose  To investigate how authentic leaders influence their followers' well being at work and to examine the roles of the leader's affective presence and interactional justice in the relationship between authentic leadership and job satisfaction in the financial sector.

Theoretical framework  Grounded in the authentic leadership perspective and informed by affective social exchange theory, the study develops hypotheses regarding the roles of the leader's positive affective presence and interactional justice in promoting their followers' well being.

Design/methodology/approach  The study employs a quantitative survey design to examine the proposed relationships between authentic leadership, the leader's positive affective presence, interactional justice, and job satisfaction. Validated scales were used to measure each construct, and statistical analyses were conducted to assess direct and mediating effects within the proposed model.

Findings  Authentic leadership is positively associated with the leader's positive affective presence, and both predict interactional justice. Positive affective presence and fair interactions mediate the relationship between authentic leadership and job satisfaction.

Practical & social implications of research  The study provides novel evidence on the connections between authentic leadership, the leader's affective presence, and interactional justice in predicting job satisfaction, suggesting that the development of authentic leadership capacities can foster a more positive and fair work environment, thereby enhancing quality of work life.

Originality/value  The study expands the understanding of the psychosocial mechanisms through which authenticity-based leadership styles promote well being at work. It offers a more comprehensive explanation of the affective and relational processes that support healthy, emotionally high-quality organizational environments.

Keywords:
Authentic leadership; affective presence; interactional justice; job satisfaction