Steering the digital transformation of service-oriented organizations by job crafting and innovative work behavior: employee-driven adaptability

In the digital economy, digital leadership has become a key driver of organizational change and performance improvement. However, prior research has paid limited attention to employees’ proactive behaviors, such as job crafting and innovative work behavior in the digital transformation. Drawing on dynamic capability theory and the resource-based view, this study investigated the impact of digital leadership on task performance through two mechanisms. Based on the questionnaire survey data of 415 hotel employees in China’s service industry, the study found that job crafting and innovative work behavior played significant mediating roles between digital leadership and digital transformation, which enhanced digital-enabled task performance. The research conclusion reveals the behavioral pathways through which leadership supports digital transformation and offers practical implications for enterprises to cultivate active employees, enhance digital adaptability and improve performance.