Analysis of the impact of situational leadership on employee engagement in manufacturing

Abstract

Workplace engagement is essential to enhance productivity, improve employee retention, and ensure overall organizational success. The behaviour of leadership has a major influence on the outcomes accomplished by employees, especially in operationally and procedurally oriented companies such as those found in most manufacturing industries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of situational leadership on employee engagement in Manufacturing in the provinces of Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Eastern Cape in South Africa. The research employed a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design within a positivist paradigm, and used an adapted situational leadership scale and engagement scale to survey participants digitally; 280 usable responses were received. Data were analysed using descriptive and regression statistics. The results indicate that there is a significant positive relationship between situational leadership style and employee engagement; Directive and Delegating styles of leadership were found to be the most influential on employee engagement. These findings demonstrate the importance of providing task clarity as well as the ability to make decisions autonomously for employees in structured industrial working environments. Coaching and Supporting styles of leadership were positively related to employee engagement, but at a comparatively lower level than directive and delegating styles. Additionally, employee engagement was found to provide a statistically significant prediction of job satisfaction, retention intention, and perceived performance.