The Trickle-Down Effect of Leaders' VWGB on Employees' Pro-Environmental Behaviors: A Moderated Mediation Model.

Jianfei Wu,Saiyu Zhang,Wenjing Cai,Juan Li,Weinan Zhang,Chuanhu Peng,Dan Chen

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.623687

Abstract

Although previous research has highlighted the positive effect of leaders’ voluntary workplace green behavior (VWGB), limited research attention has been given to empirically testing how and when such behavior produces trickle-down effects. Taking a role model perspective and drawing on social identity theory, this research aims to fill this gap by proposing and testing the mechanism and boundary conditions of the influencing processes whereby leaders’ VWGB can trickle down to employees’ pro-environmental behaviors. By theorizing a moderated mediation model, the current research empirically examines the hypotheses by conducting a hierarchical regression analysis. We employed a survey questionnaire research design to collect two waves of multisource data. The data used in the analysis are from survey responses of 313 subordinate-supervisor dyads at two different time points. The results show that leaders’ VWGB can have a trickle-down influence on employees’ task-related pro-environmental behavior and proactive pro-environmental behaviors through their green self-identity and that this trickle-down effect is greater among employees with higher green climate perceptions. Our results reveal the intervening mechanism and boundary condition of leaders’ VWGB by conducting a systematic examination of how this effect trickles down.

Highlights

The ongoing struggle of all organizations in the modern business world to achieve long-term success and thrive has highlighted the implications of green management throughout organizations (Piening and Salge, 2015; Albort-Morant et al, 2018)
Scholars have pointed out that leaders’ voluntary workplace green behavior (VWGB)—referring to leaders’ discretionary activities and behaviors that aim to enhance organizational sustainability in a green and environmental way but that are not regulated or controlled by formal institutions relating to green managerial philosophy (Boiral, 2009)—can influence followers’ desirable outputs (Kim et al, 2017; Cai et al, 2020)
We further propose that employees’ perceptions of the green climate — defined as “employees’ perceptions and interpretations of their organization’s policies, procedures, and practices regarding environmental sustainability” (Norton et al, 2015, p. 212) — in their organization can act as a boundary condition that strengthens the trickle-down impact of leaders’ VWGB on followers’ green endeavors via their green self-identity

Summary

Introduction

The ongoing struggle of all organizations in the modern business world to achieve long-term success and thrive has highlighted the implications of green management throughout organizations (Piening and Salge, 2015; Albort-Morant et al, 2018). This trend, has gradually attracted both researchers and practitioners, who highlight the critical endeavors aiming to improving pro-environmental behaviors among staff (Robertson and Barling, 2013; Afsar et al, 2016; Peng et al, 2020) because they are responsible for green tasks and duties in the workplace. We attempt to fill this research gap by investigating why, how, and when leaders’ VWGB trickles down to influence employees’ relevant work behaviors

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