When organizations undergo major shifts, such as restructuring or adopting new working systems, employees often face uncertainty about how to understand and respond to those changes. Researchers at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) have identified that a team leader’s authentic dedication to change inspires employees to embrace it as well, especially when the leader demonstrates strong moral values and ethical conduct.
In today’s fast-moving world, schools, companies, and organizations constantly undergo transformations to grow and stay competitive. However, major changes can often make people feel anxious, overloaded, or confused about their roles. When faced with such uncertainty, team members look carefully at their direct supervisors to decide whether the new plan is genuinely good or merely an added burden.
A research team led by Dr. Hyunjoo Lee and Prof. Jiseon Shin from Sungkyunkwan University surveyed 42 team leaders and 282 employees across two different time points during a company-wide restructuring. By observing real-world interactions over three months, the study examined how leaders’ mindsets spread to their team members and translate into concrete actions.
The findings showed a powerful chain reaction: when team leaders believe that a new initiative is necessary and worthwhile, team members naturally adopt the same positive attitude. This shared commitment leads employees to go the extra mile by actively helping others adapt and championing the new goals. At the same time, it significantly reduces counterproductive behavior, such as taking excessively long breaks, ignoring duties, or resisting workplace guidelines.
Most importantly, the SKKU research team discovered that ethical leadership acts as an essential amplifier. Ethical leaders are fair, honest, and care about doing things the right way rather than just chasing quick results. When leaders demonstrate integrity, employees view their messages as authentic and trustworthy. Under high ethical leadership, the positive influence of a leader's commitment on employee cooperation becomes remarkably strong. Conversely, when ethical standards are low, employees doubt their leaders' motives—weakening cooperation and causing support for change to fall off.
“Organizational change cannot be achieved simply through top-down directives. What matters is how strongly leaders themselves are committed to change and how that commitment carries over to employees,” said Prof. Jiseon Shin. “In particular, ethical leadership serves as a vital anchor, making leaders’ commitment far more credible and persuasive to employees. These findings offer practical insights for organizations navigating major transitions.”