Who’s Taking Care of the Boss?

My team at Willingness and I took on an open question for years—a question that’s stuck around the boardroom or HR office or clinic for years: Who is taking care of the boss? As therapists, psychologists, business leaders and human beings, we’ve experienced the price leadership extracts, especially in the private sector of Malta. So, we decided to dig deeper. Rather, what followed was a study that combined data collection with lived experience. The results were eye-opening.

Let’s begin by investigating the type of person who generally becomes a leader. Our data and psychological profiles painted a pattern: leaders scored among the highest in conscientiousness, extraversion and openness to experience. They possess faith in their ability to accomplish tasks, operate at a high level of internal locus of control, and seek success. These individuals bounce back from adversity, brainstorm new ideas, and remain problem-solving.

Here’s the kicker: those same strengths can become weaknesses. You will inevitably overwork because you expect excellence from yourself at all times. Confidence may yield results, but in the case of seeking assistance you may wind up alone, as if you have failed. Heavy dependence on independence can limit communication and check-ins with your team. Within short order, a once vivacious leader starts to burn out amid people but with the sensation of being totally alone.

We speak often of burnout in the context of employees, but that’s when the discussion usually ends. According to our study, 54% of managers experienced symptoms of burnout. In the meantime, 30% of workers noticed their bosses seem visibly stressed. These numbers clearly matter. They expose a silent crisis for people who are supposed to be strong enough for everyone else.

This is a matter of more than individual well-being but also economic. There are over 150,000 employees of SMEs in Malta. Leaders who fail, cause entire teams to lose a sense of direction and clarity. Productivity will inevitably fall — if staff is disengaged or unmotivated. Consequently, companies run the risk of losing customers, top talent, and their long-term growth prospects. Caring for leadership wellbeing is not just compassionate, it’s indispensable for the health of an organisation.

We collected information through focus groups, questionnaires and facilitated dialogue. Employers and employees want nothing more than the same stuff: respect, communication, and balance. ” — but they come often in other languages. Employees wanted more clear guidance, regular feedback and to feel more valued. Employers, by contrast, felt underappreciated, overwhelmed and not sure how to provide sustainable pay. Many said their employees aren’t always open to change or constructive criticism. There is a mutual desire for trust and stability but a disconnect as to how that is represented.

‘We’re training people for their next job,’ said one employer. One wrote, “They tell me everything’s great, then they leave a couple of weeks later to the gaming industry.” These are not out-of-touch comments. They are real concerns from leaders operating under conditions of retention pressure and shifting expectations.

Malta’s business environment is even more complex. Most companies are small to medium-sized, however. Leaders manage HR, strategy, client care and operations simultaneously. Local companies typically lack effective support systems, unlike international companies.

Managers of medium-sized companies (50 to 249 staff), reported the most stress. An aggressive 90 percent rated their workload an “high.” Although bigger firms were also stressed by the experience, those employers described stress as less so likely by having better systems, delegation and other support networks.

The confidence level among all participants was high, while none of them rated their leadership as below average. Encouraging at first glance, but it does lead to a more pressing question: how much of them are simply pushing through stress because they feel they have to?

Our findings highlighted a number of actual solutions, many of which we have begun implementing in our Willingness team.

Leaders require feedback just as much as employees. There are town halls, anonymous surveys and open-door policies to aid. Managers should practice getting feedback without being defensive.

And recognition is the soul of motivating staff and leadership. Public praise, peer shout-outs and, simply, a simple thank-you can help shift workplace culture. Others felt that they were as overlooked as their teams.

Just 18% of employees felt their manager could provide support for mental health needs. However, between 28 and 36 per cent of leaders wanted more training. We just need to act on that willingness.

This must not be something we just talk about; work-life balance needs to be modeled. Leaders need to set boundaries, go on leave, and motivate teams to do the same.

Employees often sense a sense of standing still, and managers often feel misunderstood. Clear career tracks, open goal discussions and shared expectations decrease friction.

The most powerful antidote to stress is human connection. Organisations do the work of team-building to create room for collaboration and trust. Mentoring at a cross-generational level also helps bridge the gaps and align values. Shared goals provide meaning beyond any daily responsibilities, reinforcing teamwork from below.

Final Thoughts. This was a project for deeper reflection into the invisible burdens these leaders carry. Sometimes solutions don’t require massive changes; they just mean a conversation. Many times, it is to create moments where people feel heard and seen and supported. Sometimes it is the small things which create the largest shifts.

As a manager of teams working with business owners, I see the pressure in action. Across fields, overworked bosses work through to help their employees survive. Meanwhile, workers are hungry for recognition, growth and authentic connection. Just behind every small business is a leader attempting to keep up with larger firms while protecting their staff. Yet what I continue to see is resilience, innovation and a steadfast commitment to people. Leadership is human so let’s finally create systems that treat leaders that way.