Longitudinal trajectories of leader–member exchange in the era of hybrid work: A growth mixture analysis

While leader–member exchange (LMX) research has traditionally viewed the quality of relationships between leaders and followers – known for their beneficial implications – as stable over time, this perspective is increasingly challenged. Understanding how LMX relationships evolve is especially important in an era where hybrid work disrupts the foundations of high-quality LMX relationships. Accordingly, this study aims to (1) examine changes in LMX relationships over 6 months to identify profiles of trajectories; and (2) assess the impact of the current hybrid work context on these LMX trajectories by focusing on telework intensity and monitoring practices (observational or interactional). Using three-wave longitudinal data from 769 workers across industries, we identified five distinct profiles. Among these, four displayed significant changes over time, supporting a dynamic view of LMX. Interestingly, greater fluctuations in LMX quality were associated with decreasing LMX trajectories, while higher telework intensity tended to reduce these fluctuations. Results demonstrated that monitoring practices played a critical role: observational monitoring was linked to the least desirable profiles, while interactional monitoring reduced the likelihood of belonging to those profiles. Moreover, monitoring practices impacted LMX trajectories, regardless of profile membership. The implications for LMX theory and managerial practices in a hybrid work context are discussed.