Leading through the COVID-19 crisis: a study of the public sector in the Arab Middle East

ABSTRACT This study explores responses of public sector leaders to the COVID-19 crisis and their perceptions regarding the impact of the pandemic. Situated in the under-researched Middle Eastern cultural context, the paper draws on data from qualitative, in-depth semi-structured interviews with public sector leaders in Saudi Arabia and Oman. The qualitative analysis revealed that leaders in both countries responded to the crisis by displaying certain behaviours and actions, including sharing power, finding ways to maintain productivity in a virtual work environment, prioritizing employee well-being, and using effective virtual communication strategies. This study provides evidence that, even with complex challenges and negative effects of the crisis, there is a window of opportunity to reform the workplace and to strengthen group cohesion and solidarity within public organizations. The paper also offers novel insights into leaders’ experiences, contributing to theory and practice in this area. The findings identify approaches for human resource development practitioners and government sectors in embracing collective leadership styles and implementing group cohesion strategies to strengthen organizational culture and ultimately to overcome any future crisis.