Impact of Leader-Member Exchange on Innovative Work Behaviour of Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic Evidence from Information Technology-Business Process Management Industry, Sri Lanka

Abstract

An empirical study is carried out to examine the effect of leader-member exchange (LMX) on innovative work behaviour (IWB) of employees in the information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) industry in Sri Lanka in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic which is the latest disastrous pandemic. COVID-19 shifted the world of work to be virtual where employees work through online mode without physical communication with their supervisors. Sri Lanka’s IT-BPM industry has been labelled as a beacon of resilience against COVID-19. Remote work influences the employee behaviour and fostering the IWB of employees is salient during COVID-19 since traditional organizational practices are no longer possible. The role of the leader is vital to stimulate the IWB of employees. However, the limited scope of research studies demonstrates an empirical gap which is addressed by this study. This study develops one hypothesis to be tested and collects primary data from the sample using a structured questionnaire, data analysis includes descriptive statistics, correlational analysis, and simple regression analysis which were done using SPSS software. Findings of the study present a positive relationship between LMX and IWB with a positive and significant effect of LMX on the IWB of employees. Future studies are encouraged to examine the IWB of employees in different sectors from various perspectives since IWB is inevitable during COVID-19.