Local government managers’ change-oriented leadership and employees’ change-supportive behaviour during COVID-19: utilizing the theory of planned behaviour

Abstract

ABSTRACT Past research has provided important insights on the role of public leaders in fostering employees’ change-related behaviour, but the psychological mechanisms and boundary conditions underlying this relationship remain unclear. This research relies on the theory of planned behaviour and the value-congruence model to shed light on when and how local government managers’ change-oriented leadership influences employees’ change-supportive behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on survey data collected from 758 local government employees in Thailand, our structural equation modelling analyses revealed that local government managers’ change-oriented leadership had a positive relationship with employees’ change-supportive behaviour via the mediating roles of employees’ attitude for change, perceived climate for change and self-efficacy for change. Furthermore, perceived value congruence between managers and employees was found to enhance the indirect relationship between change-oriented leadership and change-supportive behaviour. This research highlights the importance of change-oriented leadership and value alignment in fostering change-related behaviours among government employees.