Fuelling perceived employability through Leader's expert power: Role of empowerment climate and thriving

Abstract

After COVID-19, pre-existing perceptions of employability have dramatically changed. Consequently, challenges of workforce sustainability prompt managers to develop non-traditional survival strategies. However, there is limited understanding of how these strategies impact employability perceptions. This study applies self-determination theory and aims to address this gap by investigating how a leader's expert power enhances followers' perceived employability through serial mediation of empowerment climate and thriving at work. Findings reveal a positive relationship between a leader's expert power and follower perceptions of employability. Empowerment climate is positively linked with thriving at work, which in turn is positively linked with perceived employability. Findings indicate that empowerment climate and thriving at work serve as mediators for the relationship between leader's expert power and followers' perceived employability. Support for serial mediation signifies that empowerment climate and thriving at work serially mediate between a leader's expert power and followers' perceived employability. These findings have significant theoretical and managerial implications. Managers should leverage expert power to foster employees' sense of employability by creating an empowering workplace. This enhances employees' thriving and subsequently improves their perceived employability.