The effect of daily leader secure‐base support on employees' daily performance: An attachment theory perspective

Abstract Drawing on attachment theory, the present study develops a theoretical model to explore whether, how, and when daily leader secure‐base support impacts employees' daily in‐role and extra‐role performance. To test this model, we employed an experience‐sampling method and collected daily diary data over 3 weeks. Results of multilevel path analysis indicated that daily leader secure‐base support was positively related to both employees' daily in‐role and extra‐role performance. Moreover, we found that daily leader secure‐base support indirectly influenced employees' in‐role performance via their self‐esteem, whereas it indirectly influenced employees' extra‐role performance via their gratitude. Finally, attachment anxiety moderated the within‐person relationship between daily leader secure‐base support and employees' self‐esteem as well as the indirect effect of daily leader secure‐base support on employees' subsequent in‐role performance via their self‐esteem. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings, as well as future research directions.