Follower Work Engagement Research Articles

Leading in times of crisis and remote work: perceived consideration leadership behavior and its effect on follower work engagement

Based on the job-demands resources theory, we examine whether leadership behavior affects followers' work engagement in the context of remote work during times of crisis, and how this effect can be explained. We focus on consideration leadership and its impact on followers' engagement under conditions of enforced remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therein, we examine the role of optimism as a potential mediator. To better understand how the impact of consideration leadership behavior unfolds during crises, we examine whether being new to remote work and feeling personally impacted by COVID-19 amplified the proposed relationship between consideration leadership and followers' engagement. A sample of 729 German employees participated in a three-wave study across 6 weeks in May and June 2020. Longitudinal structural equation modeling uncovered direct positive effects of consideration leadership on changes in followers' work engagement in the second time lag (T2 to T3), while optimism did not mediate this effect. Multigroup comparisons revealed that employees who worked from home were particularly responsive to consideration leadership. No moderating effects were found for whether the COVID-19 pandemic personally impacted employees. The discussion highlights the critical role of leadership in followers' motivation and wellbeing in times of crisis and remote work.

Sustaining Engagement: How Follower Resilience May Mitigate the Negative Effects of Dark Triad Leaders

We propose that followers with leaders who exhibit any or all of the dark triad leadership traits, may be able to mitigate negative effects through their resilience. In this study, we use Job Demands-Resources theory to propose moderated relationships among follower perceptions of their leader’s psychopathic, Machiavellian, or narcissistic traits, follower engagement, and follower resilience. We found support for two of three hypotheses: Follower resilience mitigated the negative effects of leader psychopathy and leader Machiavellianism on follower work engagement. We also found an opposite effect for how resilience moderated the relationship between narcissism and job engagement: People with lower resilience were more engaged under narcissistic leaders. Given the reality of dark triad leaders, our findings support the promotion of coping methods that followers may use to mitigate negative outcomes.

Follower-leader HEXACO personality fit and follower work engagement

ABSTRACT Based on person-supervisor complementary fit and job demands-resources theory, we examined if discrepancies between leaders’ and followers’ HEXACO personality traits are associated with followers’ work engagement. We expected that when leaders score lower on emotionality compared to their followers, they are an important source of support, leading to increases in follower engagement. Additionally, we argue that discrepancies in follower and leader openness to experience – irrespectively of the direction of this difference – constitute a hindrance to followers, resulting in decreased work engagement. Results from 130 matched follower-leader dyads using polynomial regression analyses supported our hypotheses. We additionally found that followers are more engaged in their work when their leader scores higher on emotionality than they do. These findings highlight the crucial role that the interaction of leaders’ and followers’ personality traits plays for followers’ work engagement, which should be an important consideration for organizations when matching leader-follower dyads.

Leader's work engagement in relation to team performance is a contagion event explained through the lens of affective process theory

PurposeThe purpose of the current research is (1) to test affective mechanisms by which a leader's work engagement predicts team performance via a follower's work engagement in a trickle-down fashion and (2) to examine the moderating role of relational identification with the leader on the trickle-down effect.Design/methodology/approachMultisource and three-wave data was collected from 404 followers working in 76 teams from a construction company in South Korea. By aggregating all study variables, a 2-2-2 level approach by using the PROCESS macro with bootstrapping (10,000 samples) in SPSS was used to test the proposed model.FindingsThe current research uses a team-level analysis to examine (1) the effect of a leader's work engagement on team performance via a follower's work engagement and (2) moderating role of relational identification via the lens of the affective processing theory (APT) and the conservation of resource (COR) theory.Originality/valueBased the lens of APT and COR theory, the current research found that the contagious effect of a leader's work engagement on followers is conditional. Specifically a leader's work engagement has a positive effect on followers' work engagement only when followers have a high sense of relational identification with their leader. However, a leader's work engagement has an adverse effect on followers when followers have a low sense of relational identification.

Transformational leadership and work engagement in public organizations: promotion focus and public service motivation, how and when the effect occurs

Transformational leadership and work engagement in public organizations: promotion focus and public service motivation, how and when the effect occurs

Daily transformational leadership: A source of inspiration for follower performance?

This study uses the full-range leadership model to argue that on days when leaders engage in transformational leadership behaviors, they identify follower strengths and stimulate followers to show personal initiative. We propose that transformational leadership is related to follower work engagement and performance through follower strengths use and personal initiative. Moreover, we hypothesize that followers' personal initiative is most effective when followers use their strengths. A total of 57 Norwegian naval cadets filled out a diary booklet for 30 days (response = 72.6%; n = 1242). Multilevel modeling analyses largely supported our hypotheses. On the days when leaders used transformational leadership behaviors such as intellectual stimulation and individual consideration, followers were more likely to use their strengths and take initiative. These behaviors, in turn, predicted next-day work engagement and next-day job performance. Moreover, followers’ personal initiative was particularly related to work engagement when strengths use was high rather than low. We discuss how these findings contribute to the leadership literature by showing how leaders inspire their followers to lead themselves. In addition, we elaborate on the practical implications for leadership training.

How and when does follower’s strengths-based leadership contribute to follower work engagement? The roles of strengths use and core self-evaluation

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship of follower’s strengths-based leadership (FSBL) with follower work engagement. Additionally, this study also examined the mediational effect of employee strengths use and the moderating effect of core self-evaluation (CSE) on the relationship between FSBL and follower work engagement. Data were garnered at two points in time with a time lag of 2 months. Moderated-mediation path analysis with a total of 238 employees working in a research and design institute in Beijing was deployed to examine our hypotheses. As hypothesized, FSBL was a statistically significant predictor of work engagement, and strengths use acted as a mediator in the FSBL-work engagement relationship. In addition, we also found that CSE significantly and negatively moderates the direct effect of FSBL on strengths use and the indirect effect of FSBL on work engagement through strengths use. This study advances the FSBL theory and research and provides a new insight into the driving force of work engagement.

Leader-Follower Congruence in Work Engagement and Leader-Member Exchange: The Moderating Role of Conscientiousness of Followers.

Extant research has investigated the relationship between work engagement and various outcomes, such as job performance and organizational commitment, neglecting the effect of work engagement on social relationships at work. Drawing upon person-environment fit theory and LMX theory, the present study aims to examine the effect of (in)congruence between leader and follower work engagement on leader–member exchange (LMX) and the moderating effect of conscientiousness. About 273 employees and 72 leaders participated in this study and completed the measurements of work engagement, conscientiousness, and LMX at two time points. Using cross-level polynomial regressions, we found that, compared with incongruent work engagement, employees perceived high levels of LMX quality when their work engagement was aligned with that of their leaders. Regarding the congruence, the employees reported higher levels of LMX when congruence in work engagement was at higher rather than lower levels. Regarding the incongruence, when the employees engaged less in their work tasks than their leaders, they were more likely to experience lower LMX. Moreover, the negative relationship between incongruence in leader and follower work engagement and LMX was mitigated when followers were more conscientious. All our hypotheses were supported. Both theoretical and practical implications for work engagement as well as future directions are discussed.

Exploring the Bounds of Pygmalion Effects: Congruence of Implicit Followership Theories Drives and Binds Leader Performance Expectations and Follower Work Engagement

The topic of work engagement is moving up on the managerial agenda as it sets the stage for numerous beneficial outcomes for both organizations and their employees. It is clear, however, that not all employees are equally engaged in their job. The current study taps into theory on positive self-fulfilling prophecies induced by leaders’ high expectations of followers (i.e., the Pygmalion effect) and examines their potential to facilitate follower work engagement. By integrating literature on implicit followership theories with the Pygmalion model, we investigate the assumption that leaders’ high expectations are universally perceived as and therefore foster the same desirable results for all employees. We argue and find that the extent to which followers’ work engagement benefits from high leader expectations depends on their implicit followership theory of industry (IFTI; i.e., the general belief that employees are hardworking, productive, and willing to go above and beyond). We also find that when followers hold a high IFTI but feel that their leader does not convey high expectations, their engagement at work suffers. In addition, we examine whether leaders’ IFTI forms the origin of naturally occurring Pygmalion effects. Our results show that a positive IFTI among leaders is especially interpreted as high/positive expectations by followers who also hold a high/positive IFTI. Our study introduces boundary conditions to the Pygmalion-at-work model by revealing the interactive role of leaders’ and followers’ implicit followership theory of industry. We contribute to the advancement of cognitive, follower-centric perspectives on leadership and provide evidence for the importance of schema congruence.

Professional identity neutralizes charismatic leadership tactics in a crisis

Purpose This paper aims to examine the main and the interaction effect of follower’s professional identity and leader’s use of charismatic leadership tactics (CLTs) on follower performance and work engagement during a crisis. Design/methodology/approach The authors performed a 2 × 2 between subjects experiment in which both professional identity and CLTs were manipulated for a group of 320 participants. Findings Professional identity has a main positive effect on followers’ performance and work engagement and works as a neutralizer (counter-effect) moderator in the relationship between CLTs and work engagement during a crisis. Research limitations/implications Participants in the experiments were final-year engineering students and the authors manipulated only two dimensions of crisis, i.e. time urgency and high priority. Practical implications Organizations can strive to select for and develop professional identity amongst their members to survive crisis like situations rather than rely only on charismatic leaders. Originality/value This is the first study to incorporate crisis for examining a neutralizer for CLTs.

Service Leadership, Work Engagement, and Service Performance: The Moderating Role of Leader Skills

Using social learning theory, the job demands-resources model and idiosyncrasy credit theory, the present study casts additional light on the explanatory mechanisms underlying the effects of service leadership on service performance. We examine employee work engagement as an important mediator of this relationship and explore the moderating role of leader task-based professional and managerial skills on the indirect relationship between service leadership and service performance via work engagement. Drawing upon 903 leader–follower dyads nested in 187 teams, with data collected from two sources, we find that after controlling for transformational leadership, follower work engagement mediates the relationship between service leadership and follower service performance. Furthermore, the results support the moderating role of leader task-based professional skills, but not of managerial skills. Specifically, the indirect effect of service leadership on service performance via work engagement is stronger when leaders display high levels of task-based professional skills. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Leaders Improving Lives: Harnessing the Power of Leaders for Good

This symposium examines the determinants of prosocial leader behavior versus the darker, egocentric forms of leadership with the goal of better understanding how to harness the power of leaders for the betterment of groups, organizations, and society as a whole. All four papers explore a different aspect of the prosocial consequences of leadership. Two papers focus on positive leader behaviors and two consider how leaders affect the behavior and engagement of their subordinates. The papers span multiple methodologies, including field studies and experiments. Together, they highlight factors that cause leaders to be attentive to and supportive of others, unleashing a host of positive behaviors among followers. In addition to showcasing emerging research on this topic, we hope to stimulate additional research on the ways in which leaders can improve the lives of others through the discussant’s reflections on the collection of papers, and between speakers and audience members. When Preparing to Give Criticism, Prestige-Oriented Leaders Exhibit Heightened Social Monitoring Presenter: Katherine Kay Bae; U. of Michigan, Ross School of Business Presenter: Charleen R. Case; U. of Michigan, Ross School of Business Presenter: Jon Maner; Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Cascading Empowerment: The Role of Dominance and Prestige Orientation Presenter: Hun Whee Lee; Michigan State U. Presenter: Nicholas Hays; Michigan State U. Leaders' Prestige Motivation Fosters Employees' Ethical Behavior Presenter: Garrett L. Brady; London Business School Presenter: Niro Sivanathan; London Business School Leader Power (In)Stability and Follower Work Engagement: Mediating Role of Benevolence Perceptions Presenter: Ingvild Müller Seljeseth; BI Norwegian Business School

The trickle-down of work engagement from leader to follower: The roles of optimism and self-efficacy

The present research seeks to explore how and when leader work engagement trickles down to the follower. Relying on social learning theory, we hypothesize that optimism mediates the relationship between leader work engagement and follower work engagement. Follower self-efficacy is supposed to strengthen the effect of follower optimism on work engagement. In a sample of 707 employees from 72 teams in Chinese enterprises, we tested the hypotheses using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM). The results suggest that leader work engagement is positively related to follower work engagement and that follower optimism significantly mediates the relationship. Moreover, follower self-efficacy strengthens the positive relationship between follower optimism and work engagement as well as the indirect effect of leader work engagement on follower work engagement via follower optimism. Theoretical and practical implications are further discussed.

Leader-follower congruence in proactive personality and work engagement: A polynomial regression analysis

Integrating the theory of person-environment fit and job demands-resources model, this study explored the effects of congruence of proactive personalities of leaders and followers on follower work engagement. Dyadic data were collected from 100 leaders and 583 followers in two public hospitals in China. Using polynomial regression analysis and response surface modeling, the effect of the congruence of leader and follower proactive personalities on follower work engagement was justified. The results indicated that follower work engagement increased when their proactive personalities increased. The results further highlighted an asymmetrical incongruence effect that followers are more engaged at work when followers' proactive personalities exceeded that of their leaders than when leaders' proactive personalities exceeded that of followers. These findings provide valuable suggestions to promote work engagement.

Corrigendum

We are making the following clarifications/corrections regarding the original publication: Zhu, W., Avolio, B. J., & Walumbwa, F. O. (2009). Moderating role of follower characteristics with transformational leadership and follower work engagement. Group & Organization Management, 34, 590-619. (Original DOI: 10.1177/1059601108331242 )

Uncovering the Underlying Relationship Between Transformational Leaders and Followers’ Task Performance

The purpose of the present study was to unravel the mechanisms underlying the relationship between transformational leadership, follower work engagement, and follower job performance and to investigate a possible boundary condition of transformational leadership. We used structural equation modeling to test our model among 162 dyads consisting of one employee and their leader, who both filled out an online questionnaire. Followers reported more job resources and need fulfillment when their leader showed more transformational leadership behavior, and this contributed to followers’ engagement and job performance. Consistent with our hypothesis, transformational leaders mainly fulfilled followers’ needs when followers were high in need for leadership.

The mediating effects of leader integrity with transparency in communication and work engagement/performance

We examined in a 3-month longitudinal study how leader behavioral integrity relates to individual follower work engagement, and how that relationship, in turn, connects to performance. We hypothesized that ratings of leader behavioral integrity would mediate the relationship between leader transparent communication and follower work engagement, which would also have a positive relationship with performance. We tested our hypotheses using data collected from military cadets (n=451), who each rated their respective leader. Our findings show that followers who rated their leaders as exhibiting more transparent communication at Time 1, also rated themselves as more engaged in their work role at Time 2 (3weeks later), and that their perceptions of leader behavioral integrity mediated that relationship. Follower engagement also positively related to third-party ratings of follower performance at Time 3 lagged 3months. We discuss the implications of these findings for research on leader integrity, authenticity, follower engagement, and performance.

Calling for Authentic Leadership: The Moderator Role of Calling on the Relationship between Authentic Leadership and Work Engagement

Authentic Leadership (AL) literature supports the existence of a positive relationship between perceived AL, follower work engagement, and positive attitudes like calling. Our research doesn’t confirm that relationship and fosters the possibility of AL influence could not be felt by employees. It was also expected, theoretically, a positive effect of Calling as well as with trust. We have found a significant negative effect on the relationship between AL and calling. But our findings brought some positive insights. There was a positive significant relationship between calling and work engagement. Calling had also moderated, with a positive significant result, the relationship between AL and work engagement. Future research should focus on the importance of perceived AL within the education public services, and the significant effect of calling on work engagement. Our study suggests that organizations could promote employee calling work orientation, stimulate leaders to become more authentic, and improve positively organization performance.

Moderating Role of Follower Characteristics With Transformational Leadership and Follower Work Engagement

This study examines whether follower characteristics moderate the relationship between transformational leadership and follower work engagement. Data were collected from 140 followers and their 48 supervisors from a diverse range of industries in South Africa. Hierarchical linear modeling results show that follower characteristics moderate the positive relationship between transformational leadership and follower work engagement. More specifically, transformational leadership has a more positive effect on follower work engagement when follower characteristics are more positive. Implications of the findings for theory, research, and practice are discussed.