Enhancing organizational outcomes through task-oriented leadership: the mediating role of perceived organizational support in the logistics sector

Purpose The research purpose is to examine the effect of task-oriented leadership on perceived organizational support (POS), work motivation (WM) and organizational performance (OP) in the logistics industry. Additionally, the mediating role of POS in the relationship between task-oriented leadership (TOL) and WM and OP variables is investigated. Design/methodology/approach In the research, factor analysis, Partial least square structural equation modeling path analysis and mediation effect analysis are carried out on the data collected from 346 white-collar (expert) employees working in logistics companies by using the Smart PLS 3.2 program. Findings The analysis results reveal that TOL positively affects POS, WM and OP. Additionally, POS significantly mediates the relationship between TOL and both WM and OP. Research limitations/implications The fact that the research is limited to the logistics sector and white-collar employees may affect the generalizability of the findings. Future research may expand the scope to include other industries and employee categories to confirm and extend current findings. Practical implications Findings show that companies in the logistics sector should adopt TOL practices to improve employees' perception of organizational support, which in turn increases WM and OP. Additionally, the importance of leadership development programs that focus on task-oriented strategies to foster a supportive work environment is emphasized. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is one of the few studies investigating the mediating role of POS in the logistics industry and provides new insights into how leadership styles can affect employee motivation and organizational outcomes.