Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Quality and Follower Well-Being: A Daily Diary Study

Guided by self-determination and social exchange theories, we examine how leader-member exchange (LMX) quality impacts follower well-being. Despite LMX relationships being dynamic in nature, the way relationship quality varies over time and its impact on well-being has not been examined in detail. To address this important issue, a daily diary study is reported of employees from a variety of organizations. One hundred and fifty-eight participants completed a daily diary in the morning and evening for five consecutive workdays (k = 603 observations). Measures included hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, and social and economic LMX exchanges. There was a significant variation of LMX quality over the diary days. Daily LMX quality predicted daily follower well-being (while controlling for morning well-being). Further, for those that interacted with their manager, social LMX exchanges but not economic LMX exchanges predicted daily well-being. Interaction characteristics (frequency, time, content) had a relatively small impact on daily well-being. As predicted, work engagement mediated the relation between daily LMX quality and social LMX exchanges (but not daily economic LMX exchanges) with well-being. The results show how LMX quality affects followers' well-being that varies daily, that is affected by leaders' behaviors.

Automated summary

Guided by self-determination and social exchange theories, this study examines the impact of leader-member exchange (LMX) quality on follower well-being. Through a daily diary study involving employees from various organizations, it was found that LMX quality varies over time and predicts daily follower well-being. Social LMX exchanges, but not economic LMX exchanges, were found to predict daily well-being for those who interacted with their managers. Work engagement was found to mediate the relationship between daily LMX quality and social LMX exchanges with well-being.