How Does Transformational Leadership Influence Employees’ Creativity? Examining the Mediating Role of Perceived Organizational Support

Abstract

Creativity is an essential attribute for organizational success and sustainability in today’s dynamic business environment. While employee creativity has been widely researched, the interplay between transformational leadership (TL), perceived organizational support (POS), and employees’ creativity remains underexplored. Thus, the study investigates the mediating role of POS in the relationship between TL and employees’ creativity in selected banks within the Puttalam Region of Sri Lanka. The quantitative study was conducted based on primary data which were gathered from 189 respondents from six selected private and public banks through well-structured questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed by using univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses. The mean values for TL, POS, and employees’ creativity ranged from 3.50 to 5.00, indicating high levels of these variables within the sample. The study also confirms that TL has both direct and indirect effects on employees’ creativity, with POS serving as a partial mediator. Furthermore, all formulated hypotheses were accepted, underscoring the strong interconnections among TL, POS, and employees’ creativity. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of how leadership and organizational support jointly drive creativity, offering valuable insights for managers seeking to foster an innovative workforce. Practical implications emphasize the importance of TL behaviours and supportive organizational climates in promoting employee creativity.
Key Words: Employees’ Creativity, Perceived Organizational Support, Transformational Leadership