Empowering leadership and employee well-being: the role of psychological empowerment and time pressure

Purpose Little research has focused on empowering leadership (EL) in the context of public organizations. Thus, this study aims to explore the relationship between EL and public employees' well-being (EWB). In addition, utilizing a moderated mediation mechanism, this study investigates the mediating role of psychological empowerment (PE) and the moderating role of time pressure (TP) and collectivist orientation in the proposed model.Design/methodology/approach Quantitative data were collected from 643 public servants working in wards (grassroot-level government) in Vietnam. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the proposed relationships.Findings The results show that EL and PE have a significant positive effect on EWB. Moreover, PE has a complementary effect on this nexus. The results also lent credence to the moderating roles of TP and collectivist orientation.Practical implications The empirical results of this inquiry provide valuable implications for public managers. The findings suggest that public managers can promote EWB by implementing EL and enhancing PE. Moreover, when designing and implementing tasks, managers should ensure sufficient time for their followers.Originality/value This study advances the understanding of public sector EWB via the predictive role of empowering leaders and the mediation mechanism of PE. Moreover, this study is among the pioneering studies exploring the moderating role of TP and collectivist orientation on these relationships.