Purpose Numerous empirical works have found evidence to support a positive relationship between managers' transformational leadership behaviour and employees' individual performance. Studies have also begun to examine the process by which the effects on performance ultimately take place. This research aims to move forward in this direction. The paper aims to analyse the mediating role of a contextual variable (organizational learning capability) and a subordinate characteristic (employability) in the relationship between transformational leadership and individual performance. Design/methodology/approach The hypothesis was tested through a sample of 795 workers from 75 university departments, using a multilevel path analysis with a two‐level data structure. Findings Empirical evidence was found to show that: there is a positive relationship between worker‐perceived organizational learning capability in a firm and his/her own employability perception; the worker‐perceived transformational leadership of his/her leader, and his/her own employability perception; the worker‐perceived organizational learning capability of a firm and his/her performance; the worker's perception of his/her own employability, and his/her performance; transformational leadership, OLC, and individual performance have a significant influence on the group, while employability can be considered only as an individual phenomenon; and at group level, the effects of transformational leadership on performance are mediated by organizational learning capability. Originality/value As far as is known, there has been no attempt to connect transformational leadership and employability and organizational learning capability and employability theoretically and/or empirically.
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