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Cited by 510Employee Performance and LeadershipTeam Dynamics and PerformanceCorporate Management and Leadership

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 62 of the 63 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Leadership matters in crisis-induced digital transformation: how to lead service employees effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic

Bartsch, Silke, Weber, Ellen, Büttgen, Marion, Huber, Ariana·2020·Journal of Service Management
DOI 10.1108/josm-05-2020-0160
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Abstract

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.

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Crossref · 10.1108/josm-05-2020-0160

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. 2017, Achieving digital maturity, MIT Sloan Management Review
  2. 1991, Leading the Team Organization: How to Create an Enduring Competitive Advantage

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Metadata

Authors
Bartsch, S., Weber, E., Büttgen, M., & Huber, A.
Affiliations
  • Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE)
  • University of Hohenheim (DE)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Service Management
Publisher
Emerald
Published
2020-08-12
Volume
32
Issue
1
Pages
71-85
ISSN
1757-5818 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1108/josm-05-2020-0160
OpenAlex
W3048636589
Cited by
475
References
63
Citations by year
2026: 37 · 2025: 59 · 2024: 86 · 2023: 92 · 2022: 105 · 2021: 79 · 2020: 17
FWCI
79.15
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.emerald.com/insight/site-policies (tdm)
Locations
Journal of service management (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Employee Performance and Leadership
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Team Dynamics and Performance
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Corporate Management and Leadership
Keywords
leadership effectiveness, service employees, employee performance, principle of virtual work, remote work, COVID-19 pandemic, crisis management, digital transformation, task-oriented leadership, relationship-oriented leadership, employee autonomy, team cohesion, digital maturity, service sector

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