Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study examined the relationship between job stress and leadership practices within Nigeria’s banking sector with a focus on Zenith Bank Plc, Benin City. Drawing on the Job Demand-Control (Karasek, 1979) and Effort-Reward Imbalance (Siegrist, 1996) models, the research investigated how managerial styles influence employees’ well-being and organisational performance. The study used a qualitative design and semi-structured interviews with twenty banking professionals. Thematic analysis revealed that transformational and democratic leadership styles moderated stress outcomes by enhancing autonomy, communication, and resilience, whereas authoritarian approaches exacerbated strain. Findings underscored the critical role of leadership in shaping organisational stress dynamics and highlighted the need for integrated frameworks that align managerial behaviour with employees’ mental health and productivity. This study contributed to the literature by contextualising leadership-stress interactions within an emerging economy and offered practical implications for organisational policy and leadership development.
Source: Ilorin Journal of Finance
Institution: University of Benin
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7220000470