Promoting knowledge workers’ task performance: A social exchange perspective

Abstract

In this study we aimed to promote Chinese public sector development and reduce the difficulty of management and motivation of knowledge workers (k-workers) in the public sector. We investigated if servant leadership influences leader–member exchange (LMX) and if k-workers’ LMX influences their task performance, as well as examining the mediating role of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). We collected questionnaires from 383 k-workers in 10 Chinese public sectors via a self-administered survey, and used partial least squares structural equation modeling for data analysis. Results show that servant leadership had a positive relationship with LMX, LMX was positively related to OCB and task performance, and OCB had a mediating effect in the LMX–task performance relationship. Our results have theoretical implications, and our practical suggestions for managing, motivating, and inspiring k-workers will help promote the organizational performance of the Chinese public sector.