Positive organisation: the role of leader behaviour in work engagement and retention
Abstract
Orientation: The positive organisation creates a framework in which its elements can be
investigated in relation to the retention of talent.
Research purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate if leader empowering behaviour
can positively impact on role clarity, psychological empowerment and work engagement, with
the final outcome being the retention of talent.
Motivation for the study: In the ever changing work environment organisations place great
emphasis on their human capital. The positive organisation utilises specific elements to optimise
human capital’s potential. It is therefore important to identify the elements contributing to a
positive organisation as well as the elements which lead to the retention of talent.
Research design, approach and method: A survey research design was used. A convenience
sample (n = 179) was taken from a business unit in a chemical organisation. The Leader
Empowering Behaviour Questionnaire, Measures of Role Clarity and Ambiguity Questionnaire,
Measuring Empowerment Questionnaire, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and the Intention
to Leave Scale were administered.
Main findings: Leader empowering behaviour, role clarity and psychological empowerment
predicted work engagement. Role clarity interacted with competence to affect employees’
dedication and interacted with the development of employees to affect absorption. Work
engagement predicted employees’ intention to leave.
Practical/managerial implications: Organisations should foster the elements of a positive
organisation if they want to retain their talent.
Contribution/value-add: The results of this research contribute to scientific knowledge about
the effects of a positive organisation on retention
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10394/17880http://www.sajip.co.za/index.php/sajip/article/view/900
doi: 10.4102/sajip.v37i1.900
Collections
- Faculty of Humanities [2033]