I AM MY OWN BOSS: EFFECT OF SELF-LEADERSHIP ON FREELANCER’S PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of self-leadership in enhancing the work performance of freelancers through the moderation of perceived organization support and mediating mechanisms of work engagement. Data collected from 384 freelancers, working in India were examined in a moderated mediation model using linear regression and process macro by Hayes. The results of these analyses suggest that the positive relationship between self-leadership and work performance is moderated by perceived organization support and partially mediated by work engagement. Thus, validating the hypotheses, self-leadership has an impact on freelancer’s performance, and both perceived organization support and work engagement intervene in the relationship. This study responds to calls to explore the moderation (perceived organization support) and mediating (work engagement) mechanisms through which self-leadership affects the work outcome (work performance) of freelancers. The perceived organization scale has been adapted to the freelancer’s context. The findings suggest that organizations need to ensure that freelancers invest their physical, emotional and cognitive energies simultaneously in their work and be highly engaged for greater work performance. This study would also enable organizations to utilize the services of freelancers optimally.