Universität zu Köln

Kleist, Lara ORCID: 0000-0002-9332-7824 (2025). Employees’ Psychological Wellbeing - Quantitative Analyses on the Relationship between Employees’ Psychological Wellbeing and Individual, Interpersonal, and Organizational Factors. PhD thesis, Universität zu Köln.

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Abstract

In Germany, mental health issues are a major cause of sick leave, and the number of workdays lost due to mental illnesses is increasing. Furthermore, the psychological wellbeing of employees can affect both individuals and employers. This doctoral thesis aims to explore three research questions based on well-established models and the current state of research: 1. What is the role of employees’ psychological wellbeing as antecedent and consequence in a worksite healthcare management program for employees with first minor musculoskeletal disorders? 2. Is there a reciprocal relationship between transformational leadership and employees’ psychological wellbeing? 3. What influence do organizational health literacy and health supporting leadership have on the association between individual health literacy and employees’ psychological wellbeing? To address these questions, three studies were conducted using employee surveys, which were available in both online and paper-based formats. The participants worked in various sectors throughout Germany and represented companies of different sizes. While the first two studies were based on longitudinal data, cross-sectional data was analyzed in the third study. The results for the first research question indicated that employees’ psychological wellbeing improved following a worksite healthcare management program. Those with lower psychological wellbeing exhibited higher pain intensity and disability scores compared to those with higher psychological wellbeing. Changes in disability scores over time completely mediated the impact of changes in pain intensity over time on psychological wellbeing after the intervention. The differences over time in disability scores totally mediates the impact of the differences over time in pain intensity on psychological wellbeing after a worksite healthcare management program. The more psychological wellbeing increased over time, the better the disability score was after a worksite healthcare management program. For the second research question, the findings revealed that the change in perceived transformational leadership over time did not significantly impact employees’ psychological wellbeing, nor did changes in employees’ psychological wellbeing significantly impact transformational leadership. Regarding the third research question, the analysis revealed that the relationship between individual health literacy and employees’ psychological wellbeing is partially mediated by organizational health literacy and health supporting leadership. Overall, the results of this doctoral thesis highlight the importance of focusing on individual, interpersonal, and organizational aspects in relation to employees’ psychological wellbeing while also considering potential reciprocal relationships. The comprehensive metamodel presented in this doctoral thesis could serve as a valuable foundation for future practice and research by integrating relevant elements from various models.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD thesis)
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Kleist, Lara lara.kleist@mhb-fontane.de orcid.org/0000-0002-9332-7824 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-752796
Date:	2025
Publisher:	Digital Express 24 GmbH & Co. KG
Place of Publication:	Köln
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Medicine
Divisions:	Faculty of Medicine > Medizinsoziologie, Versorgungsforschung und Rehabilitationswissenschaft > Institut für Medizinsoziologie, Versorgungsforschung und Rehabilitationswissenschaft (IMVR)
Subjects:	Psychology Social sciences
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language wellbeing UNSPECIFIED work and health UNSPECIFIED
Date of oral exam:	20 January 2025
Referee:	Name Academic Title Erren, Thomas Prof. Dr. Kessler, Josef Prof. Dr.
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/75279