Transformational leadership, organizational support, and employee performance: The mediating role of organizational citizenship behavior in the public sector

Abstract This study investigates the impact of transformational leadership and perceived organizational support on employee performance within Indonesia's public service, emphasizing the mediating role of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Despite ongoing bureaucratic reforms, many of Indonesia's civil servants exhibit low performance due to factors such as low motivation, poor discipline, and limited engagement, underscoring the need to address behavioral and psychological factors alongside technical interventions. A quantitative methodology was employed, with primary data collected through questionnaires distributed to 344 employees at the National Civil Service Agency and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Transformational leadership was measured by four dimensions: intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, idealized influence, and individualized consideration. Perceived organizational support was assessed using a six-item short version of the Survey of Perceived Organizational Support, while OCB was evaluated through altruism, conscientiousness, and sportsmanship. Employee performance was measured through indicators of quality, quantity, timeliness, and effectiveness. Results demonstrate that transformational leadership and perceived organizational support positively affect OCB and employee performance. Furthermore, OCB partially mediates the effects of transformational leadership and perceived organizational support on employee performance. This finding indicates that supportive organizational environments and transformational leadership are associated with employee performance not only directly, but also indirectly through organizational citizenship behavior in the Indonesian civil service. This study contributes to the public-sector literature by examining how transformational leadership and perceived organizational support influence employee performance both directly and through OCB as a mediating variable in a bureaucratic setting.