How empowering leadership shapes the SRHRM–wellbeing–performance link: Evidence from a moderated mediation model in Vietnam's FDI companies

This study examines how socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM) influences employee in-role behavior (EIB) in foreign direct investment (FDI) companies in Vietnam, with employee wellbeing (EWB) as a mediator and empowering leadership (EPL) as a moderator. Drawing on social exchange theory, a moderated mediation model was tested using survey data from 857 employees across multiple FDI sectors. The results show that SRHRM positively affects both EWB and EIB, with EWB partially mediating this relationship. EPL strengthens the direct link between SRHRM and EIB and the mediated pathway through EWB, with stronger effects observed when EPL is high. The findings advance micro-level CSR research by clarifying psychological mechanisms and leadership boundary conditions in non-Western FDI contexts. Practically, the results highlight the importance for multinational corporations to integrate SRHRM into core HR strategies, invest in employee wellbeing initiatives, and cultivate empowering leadership to enhance operational performance and social value.