Encouraging Innovation Through Leadership: The Contribution of Strategic Leadership, HPWS, and Employee Voice

Abstract

The objective of this study is to elucidate the connection among high-performance work systems, strategic leadership, and employees' innovative work behavior. This study further investigates the bridging role of employee voice in the association between high-performance work systems, strategic leadership, and employees' innovative work behavior. A quantitative research design was employed, and cross sectional data were gathered through survey questionnaires administered to middle-line and top management in the telecommunications sector across major cities in Pakistan. SPSS was utilized to analyze the respondents' feedback. The findings suggest that both strategic leadership and high-performance work systems are associated with a positive employee attitude that fosters innovative work behavior, with employee voice mediating these relationships. The present study advances existing works by linking previous research on strategic leadership and high-performance work systems, exploring how positive leadership styles and well-designed systems influence employee performance and promote innovative behavior. Organizations can leverage these findings to enhance employee and organizational outcomes, raising awareness among employers about their workplace behaviors and their impact on employees, as informed by social exchange theory.