The Impact of Female Leaders on Female Employees’ Workplace Loneliness: Mediating Role of Social Support

This systematic review examines how senior women’s leadership relates to junior women’s workplace loneliness, using the queen bee syndrome (QBS) perspective to explain when leadership practices intensify or reduce isolation. Guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocols, this study synthesizes 30 studies published from 2013 to 2024 across Scopus, Web of Science, Emerald, Wiley, and Google Scholar. The evidence maps antecedents and outcomes of loneliness under female leadership and shows that distancing, withheld mentorship, and tokenism weaken supportive relationships and increase the risk of isolation. The study illustrates how senior women leaders may unintentionally affect the emotional well-being and social connectedness of female subordinates. This effect becomes clearer when QBS arguments are integrated with social support theory, which explains how female leadership behaviors can either foster or undermine the social resources that women rely on at work. The findings provide actionable insights for corporations and managers, highlighting the need to cultivate meaningful support networks and inclusive environments that protect employees from loneliness associated with female leadership. By synthesizing empirical findings, identifying theoretical and methodological gaps, and outlining a future research agenda, this study advances understanding of how female leadership and workplace loneliness are intertwined.