Transformational Leadership, Psychological Safety and Employee Resistance to Organisational Change in Nigeria’s Local Government Service

Purpose of the Study: The study investigated the relationship between transformational leadership and employees’ resistance to organisational change, focusing particularly on the mediating role of psychological safety among employees of the Local Government Service (LGS) in Jos North and Jos South Local Government Areas of Plateau State, Nigeria. Methodology: The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The study population comprised 2,813 employees, from which a sample of 350 was determined using the Taro Yamane formula. Of the questionnaires administered, 231 valid responses were retrieved and analysed. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire incorporating the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X) by Bass and Avolio (2004), Edmondson’s (1999) Psychological Safety Scale, and Oreg’s (2003) Resistance to Change Scale. All measures were rated on a five-point Likert scale. We analysed the data using confirmatory factor analysis, multiple linear regression, and bootstrapping-based mediation analysis. Key Findings: Transformational leadership had a significant negative effect on employees’ resistance to organisational change and a significant positive effect on psychological safety. The results further showed that both transformational leadership and psychological safety significantly explained employees’ resistance to organisational change. Psychological safety partially mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and employees’ resistance to organisational change, indicating that transformational leadership reduces resistance both directly and indirectly through enhanced psychological safety. Major Implications: The study implies that local government authorities should strengthen transformational leadership practices to facilitate employees’ acceptance of organisational change. Leadership development initiatives should emphasise idealised influence, inspirational motivation, and intellectual stimulation, while organisational policies should promote psychologically safe environments that encourage open communication, constructive risk-taking, employee voice, and participation in change initiatives. Integrating transformational leadership with psychological safety practices may therefore enhance the effectiveness and acceptance of organisational reforms within the local government system