Does Leader-Follower PsyCap Congruence Cultivate Change-Related Outcomes? A Supervisor-Subordinate Fit Perspective

Abstract

Research shows that follower psychological capital (PsyCap) is essential for positive employee outcomes in organizational change. Nevertheless, scant research has explored the role of a leader's PsyCap in the process of organizational change. Drawing on the person-environment fit literature (specifically, person-supervisor fit theory), this study demonstrates the congruent effects of leader and follower PsyCap on follower change-related outcomes. Results from a three-wave and two-source field survey illustrate that leader-follower PsyCap congruence positively affects follower openness to change. And the high-level leader-follower PsyCap combination has higher follower openness to change than the low-level leader-follower PsyCap combination. Furthermore, we found that follower openness to change mediates the relationship between leader-follower PsyCap congruence and follower change-supportive and creative behaviors. Finally, we explore the moderating effects of salience of change on our proposed model as it is an important contextual factor identified in the prior change literature. Several theoretical and practical implications are discussed.