Shared leadership and employee outcomes in sport for development and peace (SDP): The mediating role of meaningful work.

Abstract

This study examines the influence of shared leadership on meaningful work – a critical psychological need for Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) practitioners – and its impact on employee outcomes. Analyzing data from a global survey of 209 SDP practitioners, we investigate shared leadership’s direct and indirect effects on psychological well-being, turnover intention and innovative work behavior. Results reveal that shared leadership significantly enhances perceptions of meaningful work and directly influences employee outcomes. Meaningful work mediates this relationship by underscoring its vital role in fulfilling employees’ work-related needs. The results suggest that shared leadership can contribute to a shift in fostering meaningful work from primarily individual efforts of employees to more collective organizational practices in the SDP context. This study advances SDP knowledge by demonstrating shared leadership and the promotion of meaningful work as valuable non-financial strategies for enhancing employee experiences and retention in SDP organizations.