The linkages between hierarchical culture and empowering leadership and their effects on employees' work engagement: work meaningfulness as a mediator

Abstract

This research stems from the notion that organizational factors, such as leadership styles and organizational culture, can influence employee behavior. Although empowering leaders have been shown to have a positive influence effect on their employees, hierarchical culture can also influence employees’ behavior in the opposite direction. In order to investigate their concurrent effects on employees, this study tested the effect of hierarchical culture and empowering leadership on work engagement via work meaningfulness. The study was undertaken among 134 employees from 28 teams from private organizations using a longitudinal survey. We hypothesized that, while hierarchical culture at Time 1 (T1) would decrease work meaningfulness at Time 2 (T2), empowering leadership at T1 would enhance work meaningfulness at T2. We also predicted that work meaningfulness would mediate empowering leadership and work engagement. Overall, the results supported the notion that empowering leadership increases work engagement via work meaningfulness. However, we were unable to find support for the view that hierarchical culture reduces work engagement.