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Stress and Style: Investigating the Link between Leadership
Approach and Employee Strain in Kuala Langat
Angela Chan Nguk Fong
1
, Muhammad Amir Afiq Haripen
2
, Thilaageshwary Thangadurai
3
, Puteri
Farahdiana Megat Suhaimi
4
, Nurul Nabila Ibrahim
5
, Az-Athirah Zubairi
6
, Afiq Azri Mohd Ghani
7
,
Yuhanis Khalida A Rashid
8
, Rashidin Idris
9
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Education and Social Science, Universiti Selangor
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.910000300
Received: 12 October 2025; Accepted: 19 October 2025; Published: 11 November 2025
ABSTRACT
This study examines the relationship between leadership styles and work stress among employees in Kuala
Langat, Malaysia. Leadership strongly influences employee motivation, satisfaction, and well-being, yet
ineffective leadership can become a major source of workplace stress. Guided by House and Mitchell’s (1975)
Path-Goal Theory, this research explores how different leadership styles autocratic, transactional,
transformational, laissez-faire, and democratic affect employee stress levels. A quantitative correlational design
was employed, and data were collected from 250 employeesacross various job sectors using an online
questionnaire. The survey incorporated the Vannsimpco Leadership Survey (VLS) and Work Stress
Questionnaire (WSQ), both rated on a five-point Likert scale and demonstrating high reliability (α = .973 and
.890). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27, applying descriptive statistics, correlation, and t-tests. Results
revealed a moderate positive correlation between leadership style and work stress (r = .378, p < .001), indicating
that certain leadership behaviors contribute to higher stress levels. Although 94.4% of respondents reported
strong leadership presence, stress levels remained elevated, suggesting that leadership quality—not its
presence—matters most. Authoritarian and laissez-faire styles were linked to greater stress, while
transformational and democratic approaches enhanced trust and reduced tension. Gender differences in stress
were non-significant (p = .215), indicating consistent effects across male and female employees. The study
concludes that leadership style significantly affects employee stress and well-being. Organizations should
cultivate empathetic, participative leadership and implement development programs focusing on emotional
intelligence, communication, and inclusive management to promote healthier workplaces.
Keywords: Leadership style, transactional, autocratic, democratic, transformational, laissez faire, work stress
INTRODUCTION
The study examines the relationship between work stress among Kuala Langat employees and their leadership
styles. Although stress is a normal human response, if it is not controlled, it can negatively impact one's mental
and physical well-being (Zubairi et al., 2024). Employee experiences, motivation, and stress levels are
significantly influenced by the leadership style of superiors in an organizational setting (Ariyani, 2021; Stevens,
2020). In essence, leadership is the process of influencing group or individual behavior to accomplish objectives.
If not done well, it can be a major contributor to workplace stress. Burnout, discontent, and resignation intent
are the most frequent outcomes of stress (Universari & Harsono, 2021).
Employees under bad leadership are less innovative and productive, which limits their capacity to follow their
desired careers and causes them to feel uncomfortable about their work (Simanjorang and Wahyanti, 2021). On
the other hand, a subpar leadership style may exacerbate workplace stress. When faced with major
responsibilities and problems, stress is characterized as an emotional strain that impacts an individual's physical,
mental, and emotional well-being (Heinbockel et al., 2021). According to Schafer and Stengel (2022) claim that
stress occurs when an employee is confronted with a substantial task or duty that they cannot manage, resulting
in a negative bodily reaction.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
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Poor leadership is strongly associated with increased workplace stress and decreased employee productivity,
according to a number of studies (Simanjorang & Wahyanti, 2021; Stremersch et al., 2021). People experience
mental and physical strain when they are faced with obligations they are not prepared to handle (Heinbockel
et al., 2021; Schafer & Stengel, 2022). Leadership dynamics are also influenced by gender, with women
tending toward transformational leadership and men frequently adopting transactional styles (Akanji, 2020).
These factors have an impact on employee empowerment and team performance, especially in diverse teams
(Martínez-León et al., 2020).
Gender variations also impact stress experiences: women are more likely to report higher levels of stress
because of social expectations and work-life imbalance (Heub et al., 2024). It is clear that in order to guarantee
inclusivity and the welfare of employees, leadership must be emotionally intelligent and gender sensitive
(Stevens, 2020). In conclusion, the study fills a significant knowledge vacuum regarding the effects of different
leadership philosophies on workplace stress, which has consequences for organizational health and leadership
practice.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Based on previous empirical research and theoretical models, the literature review investigates the effects of
different leadership philosophies autocratic, transactional, transformational, laissez-faire, and democratic on
workers' work-related stress. By influencing motivation, communication, decision-making, and the workplace,
leadership style has a big impact on organizational results (Muna, 2022; Setiawan et al., 2021). While
authoritarian leadership frequently leads to unfavorable outcomes like absenteeism and low work satisfaction,
democratic, transformational, and transactional leadership styles are favorably associated with employee
productivity, morale, and engagement (Simanjorang & Wahyanti, 2021; Setiawan et al., 2021). Unbalances
between personal capabilities and job needs lead to work-related stress. Workload, ambiguous duties, and
inadequate leadership are major contributors (Schaper & Stengel, 2022: Monalisa et al., 2024). Gender,
emotional intelligence, and social support all have an impact on stress, which affects both mental and physical
health (Heub et al., 2024).
Employee stress and leadership style are strongly correlated. While transformational leadership typically
lowers stress levels (Murugiah, 2021; Lin et al., 2020), transactional leadership has been demonstrated to do
so in certain situations. Conversely, authoritarian and laissez-faire approaches are associated with higher levels
of stress (Milojević et al., 2024; Ayuningtyas et al., 2022).
House's Path-Goal Theory, which holds that leaders improve followers' motivation and performance by making
goals clear and removing roadblocks, serves as the foundation for the study House and Mitchell, 1975.
According to the conceptual framework, employee work stress (a dependent variable) is influenced by
leadership style (an independent variable).
METHODOLOGY
A quantitative correlational research approach was used in this study to examine the connection between Kuala
Langat employees' work stress and leadership style. In order to test hypotheses and make predictions,
correlational research was used to investigate any possible relationships between the independent variable
(leadership style) and the dependent variable (work stress).
Convenience sampling is efficient and economical, it was used. Out of the 182,107 workers in Kuala Langat, a
sample size of 384 was chosen (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2023). Only 250 responders, meanwhile,
took part in the survey itself. An online Google Forms poll disseminated via WhatsApp and other channels was
used to gather data. Three elements comprised the questionnaire: work stress, leadership style, and demographic
information.
A Vannsimpco Leadership Survey (VLS) with 27 items covering nine leadership styles (Transactional,
Autocratic-Transformational, Autocratic-Transformational, Democratic-Transformational, Transformational,
and Laissez-faire) was used in Section B by Vann et al. (2014). Section C made use of Kristina Holmgren's
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025
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Work Stress Questionnaire (WSQ), which has 21 items covering topics like individual needs and work-to-leisure
interference (Frantz & Holmgren, 2019).
A five-point Likert scale was used to measure both portions. Strong reliability was confirmed by a pilot
investigation including 40 individuals, with Cronbach's alphas for VLS and WSQ being.973 and.890,
respectively, and a combined dependability of.964. Using SPSS version 27, data analysis was carried out using
independent t-tests, reliability analysis, descriptive statistics, and Spearman's.
RESULT
An overview of the information acquired is described as a data analysis. It involves analyzing and making
meaning of gathered data in order to identify patterns, correlations, or other relationships. The researcher's data
analysis for the 250 employees in Kuala Langat who responded is covered in this chapter. Researchers conduct
reliability, descriptive, and correlation analyses of the findings.
Table 1 Gender among Private Sector Workers in Kuala Langat
Gender
Frequency (N)
Percentage (%)
Male
104
41.6
Female
146
58.4
TOTAL
250
100.0
Based on Table 1, it shown the information about participants based on gender. Among the 250 respondents,
104 (41.6%) were male and 146 (58.4%) were female. This gender distribution indicates a higher participation
rate among female workers in the study.
Table 2 Job Sector of Respondent
Job Sector
Frequency (N)
Public service and administration
35
Business, consulting, and
management
57
Energy and utilities
16
Environment and agriculture
6
Healthcare
14
Hospitality and events management
16
Teacher training and education
50
Transport and logistics
16
Retail and sales
40
TOTAL
250
Table 2, illustrates the distribution of job sectors among workers in Kuala Langat. The largest job sectors,
consisting of 57 respondents (22.8%), where the job sectors are Business, consulting, and management. followed
by teacher training and education, 50 respondents (20.0%), job sectors of retail and sales, 40 respondents (16%),
and public service and administration, 30 respondents (14%). Meanwhile, for job sectors, energy and utilities,
Hospitality and events management, transport and logistics, 16 respondents (6.4%). The lowest percentage
represented respondents are working in the sector environment and agriculture, 6 respondents (2.4%).
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
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Table 3 Leadership Style
Leadership Style
Frequency
Percentage %
Low
3
1.2
Moderate
11
4.4
High
236
94.4
Table 3 revealed that 236 respondents (94.4%) of Kuala Langat workers rated leadership style in their workplace
as high, indicating strong leadership presence. Next, 11 respondents (4.4%) scored it as moderate, and only 1.2%
rated it low, suggesting that most employees perceive their leaders as effective.
Table 4 Correlation Analysis between Leadership Styles and Work Stress
Construct
N
Correlation Coefficient
Sig. (2-tailed)
Leadership style
250
.378**
<.001
Work stress
250
.378**
<.001
The correlational study of leadership style and work stress among Kuala Langat workers shows that Pearson
correlation coefficient between leadership style and work stress is 0.378**, with a significant level of p <.001
for both variables. This indicates a moderate positive correlation between leadership style and work stress among
a sample of 250 respondents.
DISCUSSION
The purpose of the current study was to look into the relationship between Kuala Langat employees' work stress
and leadership style. The results showed a strong positive relationship between work stress and leadership style
(Table 4.4.2), indicating that some leadership philosophies can make workers feel more stressed. This is
consistent with other research that indicated authoritarian and laissez-faire leadership styles were linked to
increased job stress and emotional tiredness (Milojević et al., 2024).
According to Table 4.3.4, the majority of respondents (94.4%) said there was a lot of leadership at work. The
worry that ineffective leadership styles, even when present, may contribute to unfavorable work environments
is reinforced by the fact that a high level of leadership presence does not always translate into less stress
(Simanjorang & Wahyanti, 2021). For example, fatigue, bullying, and a decline in motivation have been
associated with laissez-faire leaders who participate little in decision-making and offer little direction (Milojević
et al., 2024).
Furthermore, it was discovered that high turnover intentions and work pressure are caused by authoritarian
leadership, which is typified by tight control and a lack of employee feedback (Ayuningtyas et al., 2022).
Workers under such leadership may suffer less creativity and involvement, feel stifled, and be unable to express
their thoughts. This explains why the study found a positive correlation between high levels of work stress and
bad leadership styles.
Conversely, it has been demonstrated that transformative and democratic leadership philosophies produce
better results. According to Januarharyono et al. (2025), democratic leadership fosters trust and encourages
employee participation in decision-making, both of which can reduce stress at work. Similar to this,
transformational leaders improve employee well-being and adaptability by offering vision, inspiration, and
individualized assistance (Ausat et al., 2024). However, if other organizational issues like workload and role
conflict are not addressed, even transformative leadership might not be able to completely eradicate stress
(Naef et al., 2024).
Furthermore, a non-significant difference in job stress between the sexes was found by the independent
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samples t-test results (p =.215 > 0.05), indicating that gender had no direct bearing on the sample's felt stress
levels. Fida et al. (2023), who found that although certain stressors may differ by gender, total stress levels do
not differ considerably, confirm this finding. However, the sample's significantly higher percentage of women
might have affected how pressures like long workdays and work-life balance were perceived (Akanji et al.,
2020).
In summary, the study supports the idea that there is a substantial correlation between work stress and
leadership style. It also emphasizes how crucial it is to use leadership styles that are inclusive, sympathetic,
and flexible enough to meet the requirements of staff members. Companies ought to think about putting in
place leadership development initiatives that lower stress and improve well-being.
CONCLUSION
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between different leadership philosophies and
stress levels among Kuala Langat workers. Data were gathered from 250 respondents in a variety of job sectors
using the Vannsimpco Leadership Survey and the Work Stress Questionnaire. The findings showed a
statistically significant positive relationship between employee job stress and leadership style, indicating that
the type and caliber of leadership have a major impact on how well employees are psychologically able to
function.
In particular, the results showed that, in line with earlier research, authoritarian and laissez-faire leadership
philosophies are linked to higher stress levels. These approaches frequently lead to inflexible management,
poor communication, and a lack of support, all of which exacerbate strain at work. However, more positive
effects, such as increased employee involvement, trust, and morale, all of which can reduce stress, were
associated with transformational and democratic leadership styles. Even positive leadership, though, might not
be enough to completely counteract stress brought on by systemic issues like excessive workloads or unclear
roles.
There were no discernible gender disparities in the study population's perceptions of leadership or levels of
stress, indicating that the influence of leadership styles on stress is not gender-specific. All things considered,
this study advances our knowledge of how leadership philosophies affect worker stress and emphasizes the
value of encouraging inclusive, compassionate, and participative leadership in the workplace. To promote
healthy workplaces, it is advised that businesses fund leadership development initiatives and put stress-
reduction techniques into place. Future studies should examine mediating factors including company culture
and emotional intelligence, broaden the geographic breadth, and incorporate more varied industries.
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