Leadership and Group Attachment Styles During the COVID-19 Crisis: The Role of HR Systems

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of leadership and HR Systems in maintaining followers’ attachment security during the COVID-19 crisis. Given that the current pandemic has disrupted the group ties that sustain individuals at work, we focused on group attachment activation or the extent to which individuals feel secure within a group setting. We considered the moderating roles of leadership processes and follower group dynamics to develop a typology of followers’ discretionary work behaviors (i.e. positive organizational citizenship behaviors; OCB and detrimental counter-productive work behaviors CWB). We further discussed the role of relationship-oriented HRM systems (or synergized HRM practices designed to establish interpersonal work relationships) in fostering followers’ group attachment security. In particular, we integrated research on attachment systems, human resource management (HRM), and leadership within the COVID-19 context. Our paper contributes to the managerial literature by offering a unique perspective in exploring the role of leadership in determining employee outcomes during the COVID-19 crisis. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.