Authentic leadership, organisational citizenship behaviour and intention to leave: the role of psychological capital
Abstract
Public health care is a dynamic and challenging work environment that is influenced by various factors having an impact on its efficiency. The need for authentic leadership that is transparent, supports followers, is objective in making decisions, and models exemplary behaviour is imperative. Authentic leadership plays a significant role in the leader-follower relationship where employees are inspired and grow in their interaction with their authentic leader; in turn eliciting desired individual outcomes at work.
The objective of this study was to investigate the indirect effect of perceived authentic leadership on organisational citizenship behaviours (OCB) and intention to leave via employees’ psychological capital (PsyCap). A cross sectional survey design with a non-probability convenient sample (N = 633) was obtained. The measuring instruments that were used are the Authentic Leadership Inventory, the shortened version of the Psychological Capital Questionnaire, the Organisational Citizenship Behaviours Scale, and the Intention to Leave Scale. Structural equation modelling was used for developing measurement and structural models to test the study hypotheses. The measurement models were used to determine factor analysis and correlations among latent variables, whilst the structural model was used to determine regression between the latent variables as well as possible indirect effects.
The results confirm correlations in the expected directions between all variables. Authentic leadership seems to predict lower-order factors of PsyCap, but not OCB or intention to leave of employees. In addition, authentic leadership did not influence OCB and intention to leave of employees via lower-order factors of PsyCap.
Findings suggest that public health care can focus on developing authentic leaders who are
relationally focused, who know who they are, and are able to lead employees in a moral manner. As authentic leaders, the PsyCap of employees can also be enhanced and act as a personal resource to perform better at work.