Authentic Leadership and Subjective Career Success: The Mediating Roles of Psychological Safety and Mindfulness in a Sustainable Work Environment

As career success increasingly prioritizes personal satisfaction over traditional metrics, authentic leadership has emerged as a key driver of subjective career success. This study examines the mediating roles of psychological safety and mindfulness in this relationship within a sustainable work environment. Drawing on self-determination theory, emotional contagion theory, and conservation of resource theory, a mediation model is proposed. In this model, authentic leadership enhances psychological safety, which fosters mindfulness and ultimately leads to subjective career success. A rival mediation model further positions mindfulness as a predictor of psychological safety, offering a novel perspective on their interplay. A cross-sectional survey of 287 employees from diverse industries tested these models using correlation, multiple regression, and serial mediation analyses. The results confirm that authentic leadership significantly predicts subjective career success through psychological safety and mindfulness. The rival model suggests a bidirectional relationship, where mindfulness also contributes to psychological safety. These findings highlight the importance of fostering psychological safety and mindfulness to promote a sustainable work environment. This study contributes to both theoretical understanding and practical applications of authentic leadership in human resource management. Organizations aiming to enhance employee well-being and career satisfaction should implement leadership development and mindfulness training programs. Aligning these initiatives with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth) can strengthen sustainable business practices. Future research should explore the long-term impact of authentic leadership and mindfulness on career success through longitudinal studies.