Philippine E-Journals

Transformational Leadership, Job Satisfaction, and Intention to Quit: A Sequential Mediation Model of Meaning in Work and Work Engagement

Mohammed Yasin Ghadi

 

Abstract:

This study aims to determine the indirect impact of transformational leadership on two job related outcomes: general job satisfaction and intention to quit, by integrating sequential mediating mechanisms of employees’ perceptions toward the job (i.e., the experience of meaningful work) and employees’ perceptions toward own self (i.e., employee engagement) as underlying mechanisms to understand transformational leadership impact in the Australian context. The proposed model was tested using a heterogeneous sample of employees working in various Australian sectors. The study sample consisted of 530 full-time employees working in Australia. This was done by applying structural equation modeling and MEDTHREE technique. The results of structural equation modeling and MEDTHREE analyses imply that transformational leadership influences both job satisfaction and intention to quit directly, as well as indirectly. Further results of sequential mediation
analysis revealed that meaningful work and employee engagement carry a reasonable amount of meditational effect between transformational leadership and related outcomes with a higher percentage for meaningful work. Future research could develop the model by clarifying whether other possible variables influence the relationship between transformational leadership, meaningful work, and employee engagement. Moreover, a comparative cross-cultural study is needed. Finally, future research could test the direct effect of the four dimensions of transformational leadership using the MLQ on the three attributes of employee engagement. Implication and limitations of research are discussed in the study.