Leadership matters in crisis-induced digital transformation: how to lead service employees effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic
Leadership matters in crisis-induced digital transformation: how to lead service employees effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic
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DOI：
10.1108/josm-05-2020-0160
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发表时间：
2020-08-13
影响因子：
10.6
通讯作者：
Huber, Ariana
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Bartsch, Silke;Weber, Ellen;Huber, Ariana
除了健康问题，新冠肺炎大流行还造成了前所未有的社会和经济危机，对服务业的打击尤其严重。由于广泛的安全措施，许多服务员工不得不远程工作以保持服务业务的运行。由于关于服务背景下的领导和虚拟工作的文献有限，本文旨在报告COVID-19大流行带来的虚拟环境中员工工作绩效的领导有效性。本研究以投入-过程-结果（input-process-outcome， IPO）框架为基础，探讨了领导力在工作紧张、自主性和团队凝聚力的作用下对服务员工工作绩效的影响。此外，本研究还探讨了服务提供商数字化成熟度的调节作用。为了验证导出的模型，作者收集了206名服务员工的调查数据，由于COVID-19大流行，他们意外地不得不转变为虚拟工作环境。采用偏最小二乘结构方程模型（PLS-SEM）对数据进行分析。结果表明，在危机情境下，虚拟环境下服务员工的工作绩效维持需要任务导向和关系导向的领导行为。服务员工的个人工作自主性和团队凝聚力具有中介作用；令人惊讶的是，工作紧张并没有影响员工的工作表现。结果为服务企业提供了如何在危机时期有效领导的指导，当服务员工主要在虚拟环境中工作时。这是第一个实证研究，展示了在危机时期的虚拟工作环境中，领导力如何影响服务员工的工作绩效。因此，该研究对必须在这种环境中运营的服务公司中领导力影响的稀缺文献做出了贡献。
Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic has, besides the health concerns, caused an unprecedented social and economic crisis that has particularly hit service industries hard. Due to extensive safety measures, many service employees have to work remotely to keep service businesses running. With limited literature on leadership and virtual work in the service context, this paper aims to report on leadership effectiveness regarding employees' work performance in virtual settings brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the input-process-outcome (IPO) framework, this research investigates the effectiveness of leadership on service employees' work performance mediated by work-related tension, autonomy, and group cohesiveness. Furthermore, this study explores moderating effects of the service provider's digital maturity. To test the derived model, the authors collected survey data from 206 service employees who, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unexpectedly had to transform to a virtual work environment. The authors analyzed the data using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings The results indicated that it took task- and relation-oriented leadership behavior to maintain service employees' work performance in a virtual environment during crisis situations. Further, results indicated mediating effects of service employees' individual job autonomy and team cohesiveness; surprisingly, work-related tension did not impact employees' work performance. Results offered service businesses guidance on how to effectively lead in times of crisis when service employees predominantly work in virtual environments. Originality/value This is the first empirical study to show how leadership affects service employees' work performance in a virtual work environment during crisis times. Thus, the study contributes to the scarce literature on the impact of leadership in service firms that have to operate in such a setting.