Does Authentic Leadership Predict Employee Work Engagement and In-Role Performance?

Abstract

Abstract. This study sought to examine whether and why authentic leadership predicts followers’ in-role performance and did so in a four-wave, multi-level, multi-source field study conducted in the banking sector in Pakistan. Working from the notion that authentic leadership fosters followers’ focus on developing their true self; we suggest authentic leadership predicts followers’ learning goal orientation. Given that learning goal orientation strongly impacts on how people approach and experience their work, in turn, we expected that learning goal orientation determines followers’ work engagement, and their in-role performance. Results indicated learning goal orientation mediated the relationship between authentic leadership and (a) follower performance and (b) work engagement.

Leadership and work engagement: Exploring explanatory mechanisms

“…Leaders can influence employee work engagement not only through changing work conditions but also directly through inspiring, connecting, and strengthening their employees (Schaufeli, 2015). In addition, several positive leadership styles have been linked to employee work engagement in longitudinal studies (Biggs et al, 2014; Chughtai et al, 2014; Fletcher, 2016; Li and Liao, 2014; Mehmood et al, 2016).…”

“…Several longitudinal studies have shown that different positive leadership styles act as an antecedent of work engagement, for example, ethical leadership (Chughtai et al, 2014), authentic leadership (Mehmood et al, 2016), and transformational leadership (Salanova et al, 2011). Moreover, positive leadership styles have been shown to enhance employees’ engagement not only directly but also indirectly through increasing job resources and decreasing job demands (Schaufeli, 2015; Schaufeli and Bakker, 2004).…”

Authentic Leadership and Employees’ Innovative Behaviour: A Multilevel Investigation in Three Countries

“…Stander et al [51] suggested that when leaders show authenticity, their employees are more optimistic and have more trust in the organization, which ultimately leads to higher work engagement. Research findings indeed revealed that authentic leadership increases work engagement among employees and their job performance [52,53]. Furthermore, there is a positive relationship between authentic leadership, as rated by employees, and employees’ work engagement [54].…”

Employee Engagement and Job Performance of Employees—a Study from Hospitality and Tourism in Hainan

“…Organization as a whole and individual in particular contributes towards improved job performance. [1] The growing trends and increased competition in hospitality and tourism industry has caused even the front runners of the industry to evaluate their practices and check for areas of improvement.…”