What kind of leadership behaviours impact the organisational commitment of employees in the resort sector of Maldives?

Abstract

While there is growing evidence in management that supervisors play a crucial role in enhancing the organisational commitment of employees, little is known about the indirect effect of leadership style on organisational commitment through family supportive supervisor behaviour. In addition, knowledge of how employees’ perceptions of family supportive supervisor behaviour affect work outcomes is also limited. Drawing on Affective Events Theory and Social Exchange Theory, it is hypothesised that supervisors who adopt a transformational leadership style and family supportive supervisor behaviour are more likely to affect organisational commitment positively. This quantitative study was conducted for the resort employees of the Maldives with experience in the current resort for more than one year. Data were collected using an online form. The results of structural equation modelling using a bootstrapping technique show that transformational leadership style is positively related to organisational commitment and family supportive supervisor behaviour mediates the relationship between transformational leadership style and organisational commitment. This result indicates that employees with supervisors who use transformational leadership styles are more likely to perceive a higher level of family supportive supervisor behaviour, which positively affects job outcomes such as organisational commitment. Therefore, it is recommended that resort managers adopt a transformational leadership style and family supportive supervisor behaviour to increase employees’ organisational commitment. This result can be further utilised to address the high turnover rate in the resort sector.