Perceptions of leadership and team support: organisational commitment in times of crisis

Purpose This study aims to examine the influence of team support, leader support and organisational commitment on work-family synergy and emotional exhaustion burnout experienced by employed graduate students during the pandemic, highlighting the profound effects on organisational dynamics in times of crisis. Design/methodology/approach The conservation of resources model was used to support the hypothesised relationships. Structural equation modelling and Hayes’ PROCESS macro were used to analyse the responses of 319 participants. Findings Findings revealed relationships between support and outcome variables (work-family synergy and emotional exhaustion) that were mediated by employees’ departmental impact and organisational commitment. Significant mediation was also found for the leader support–outcomes relationships. Research limitations/implications This study is limited by reliance on self-reported survey data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. This may have influenced participant responses. Future research should examine the tested dynamics in other organisational and crisis contexts. Practical implications The findings emphasise the importance of fostering both team and leader support to mitigate emotional exhaustion and enhance work-family synergy. This suggests that organisations should implement targeted support strategies to improve employee resilience during crises. Social implications This research emphasises the significance of organisational support in influencing employees’ emotional well-being and achieving a healthy work-life balance. Originality/value The research offers novel insights into the dynamic and differential role of team and leader support perceptions during a crisis, underscoring the significant impact of such support on the work-family synergy and emotional exhaustion burnout of employed graduate students.