Empowering Excellence: The Role of Sustainable Leadership towards Flourishing of Software Professionals in IT Organizations

Information Technology organizations (ITOs) face the challenge of
maintaining system reliability and ensuring business continuity
though sustainable practices, while also promoting flourishing.
While the complexity of IT environments is well-recognized, the
pandemic underscored the urgent need to prioritize employee
well-being in this sector. This research investigates the effect
of sustainable leadership practices on flourishing and the role
of psychological empowerment as mediator among software
professionals in ITO’s. The hypothesized model was tested in ITOs
in India using a quantitative approach, employing judgmental and
stratified sampling techniques. A total of 300 software professionals
participated in the study. The analysis utilized Hayes’ process macro to
examine both direct and indirect relationships amid the constructs.
The findings reveal that sustainable leadership practices have a
significant impact on flourishing, and this connection is significantly
mediated by psychological empowerment. Sustainable leadership
fosters flourishing among software professionals by enhancing
their psychological empowerment, which strengthens autonomy,
competence, and meaningful work. This, in turn, boosts motivation,
engagement, and overall performance while improving employees’
social, emotional, and psychological well-being. The relationship
between sustainable leadership, psychological empowerment, and
f
lourishing is vital for building a productive and resilient IT workforce.
The study explores the theoretical implications of its findings,
which support both Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000)
and Social Exchange Theory (Blau, 1964). These theories highlight
the critical role of leadership support in enhancing engagement,
productivity, and organizational culture. By demonstrating how
sustainable leadership practices foster psychological empowerment
and employee well-being, the study addresses a gap in the existing literature and aligns with the AMO framework as well as prior
research (Hendriks et al., 2020; Choi, 2021). It also provides practical
insights for Human Resource Managers and policymakers in IT
organizations, based on the study’s results.