Reducing psychological distress at work through employee humility: the role of gender, workload and job recognition

Purpose Although humility is often considered in the context of leadership, it can also be an important individual resource for employees’ mental health. Humility can be shaped by both social and work-related factors. This study aims to examine the indirect effects of gender, job recognition and workload through humility to better understand how gendered norms and workplace conditions relate to employees’ mental health. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional study used data collected from Léger Opinion’s (LEO) online panel in Quebec, Canada, between April 20 and May 2, 2022 (n = 1,801). Mediation analyses were conducted using Mplus. Findings Being a woman was associated with greater humility, which was, in turn, linked to lower psychological distress. Meanwhile, perceiving greater job recognition and reporting a heavier workload were also associated with greater humility. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional, self-reported design restricts the ability to draw causal inferences regarding workload and recognition and may introduce perception biases. Multi-source and longitudinal studies are required. Practical implications Understanding how gendered dynamics and working conditions influence humility can inform initiatives that promote mental health equity. Fostering humility among employees alongside enhancing job recognition and workload management may contribute to healthier, more inclusive and resilient workplaces. Originality/value This study broadens the scope of humility research beyond leaders by focusing on employees and demonstrating that expressed humility among employees serves as an individual resource during the distress process. Specifically, this study shows that humility is a key mechanism that links gender, job recognition and workload to psychological distress.