Abstract
This study positions the duality of boundary-spanning behavior as a strategic approach to workforce ecosystem orchestration, emphasizing the collaborative roles of external HR consultants and internal top management leaders. We argue that the simultaneous spanning efforts of both parties facilitate employee attributions that enhance the effectiveness of human resource (HR) interventions. When internal leaders actively support and integrate external consultants’ recommendations, they create a coherent and credible change narrative, fostering acceptance and engagement. However, employee resistance to change negatively moderates this relationship, hindering the translation of external expertise into sustainable organizational practices. Through qualitative insights, we highlight how orchestrating workforce ecosystems requires balancing leadership integration, addressing resistance, and ensuring alignment across organizational boundaries. This study contributes to the discourse on leadership across boundaries and integration architectures, offering a novel perspective on managing HR interventions in complex and dynamic work environments.