Crossing boundaries at the frontline: examining the link between red tape, leadership and boundary-spanning behaviour

Frontline professionals are increasingly expected to work across organizational boundaries to address wicked problems, yet we know little about the organizational conditions shaping such behaviour. This study examines whether red tape constrains boundary-spanning and whether direct supervisors’ leadership mitigates this effect. Using survey data from 940 social care professionals in the Netherlands, we find no significant relationship between red tape and boundary-spanning. Leadership, however, is positively associated with boundary-spanning, both through support and role modelling. These findings suggest that managerial interventions via leadership may be more effective in promoting boundary-spanning than structural efforts to reduce red tape.