How Charismatic Leadership, and Employee Voice Complements the Transformational Leadership in Enabling Championing Behavior among Employees during Organizational Change : A parallel-sequential multiple mediations of Transparent Communication, Organizational Trust, and Openness to Change

In the context of organizational change, the behavior of employees plays an important role in managing organizational change effectively. Linking Social bond theory, this study explores how transformational leadership affects employee championing behavior. For this we proposed a theoretical framework, contending that Transformational Leadership, enables transparent communication among employees. This would in turn increase the Organizational trust among them. The organizational trust would cause Openness to change and subsequently lead to Championing behavior among employees. We also contend that Charismatic Leadership and Employee Voice would complement this process in a way that in the presence of a Charismatic leader and Employee Voice, the effect of Transformational Leadership on Openness to change, and Championing behavior is more pronounced. Empirical validity was established by conducting a survey using a close-ended questionnaire. The study collected data from 317 employees, working in four different cities (Karachi, Hunza, Islamabad, and Gilgit) in Pakistan who have experienced organizational change. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypotheses. The results of this study reveal that transformational leadership significantly and positively influences the championing behavior (CB) of the employee during organizational change as well as Organizational trust (OT). OT is also being positively influenced by transparent communication. Openness to change also seems to cause championing behavior. The mediation framework suggested that OT causes CB through Openness to change. We also found a negative moderation of CL, whereas positive moderation of EV in the Effect of Transformational Leadership on CB. The study contributes to the existing body of literature on organizational change management by incorporating the social bond theory and proposing a comprehensive framework that explains the relationship between transformational leadership and employee-championing behavior. The study has significant policy implications for organizations changing. It highlights the importance of transformational leadership in promoting employee-championing behavior and organizational trust. Therefore, organizations should invest in leadership development programs that focus on enhancing transformational leadership skills among their leaders