ABSTRACT
Shared norms, values and basic assumptions are at the core of organizational culture and facilitate employee behavior giving orientation and providing a higher meaning to their work. Therefore, organizational culture is regarded as an instmment to coordinate and integrate employee behavior towards shared long-term organizational goals. It is widely agreed among health promotion researchers that leader support and engagement for health promotion is essential for the emergence of a climate for health and a corresponding culture. Supervisors and topmanagement support the development process. While research is well advanced within other contexts, empirical studies on the leadership-climate link are rare for health. The present study examines the impact of leadership on the emergence of a climate for health, taking into account the hierarchical stmcture of the organization. Sampling took place in nine local tax offices in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, who participated in a three-year health promotion project. ELM-Results indicate that supervisors are the primary source of a climate for health, while most of the influence of top-management seems to trickle trough the hierarchical levels of the organization rather than directly influencing employee perceptions. For
organizational health promotion practitioners it is therefore indispcnsible to secure supervisor commitment for health promotion initiatives.
