The Relationship Between Authentic Leadership, Psychological Empowerment, Role Clarity, and Work Engagement: Evidence From South Africa

Abstract

Employees in the mining sector are faced with a demanding work environment due to external challenges impacting on the organization. Optimizing their engagement is vital in weathering a demanding environment. The aim of this study was to (a) position authentic leadership (AL) and psychological empowerment (PE) as enablers of work engagement (WE); (b) to investigate the processes (i.e., PE) through which AL exerts its effect on WE, and (c) to determine whether contextual factors [i.e., role clarity (RC)] influenced this process. A cross-sectional research design was employed to collect data from 236 employees employed by a coal-mining organization within South Africa. The AL inventory, PE questionnaire, measures of role conflict and ambiguity questionnaire, and UWES-9 was administered to collect data. A moderated-mediation investigation was employed to test the hypotheses. Results supported the value of AL to enhance WE, both directly and indirectly via PE. Results also concluded that AL exerts its influence on WE through PE, regardless of employees' levels of RC. AL literature is limited, not only in the South African context but also in the mining sector. The study not only extends AL literature by investigating its outcomes in a South African mining organization, but it also does so by investigating the boundary conditions under which AL exerts its influence. The boundaries (i.e., moderation) within which leadership-subordinate relationships (i.e. mediation) function are often neglected in favor of simplified investigations of mediation processes only.

Dynamic organisational capabilities: The role of authentic leadership and trust

“…Given the above-mentioned reality, Anuradha and Sujatha (2019) stated that the success of leaders functioning in this uncertain context is based on sound business principles, an organisation's ability to respond speedily, robust collaborative networks and trusting relationships, innovation and ethical practices. To this end, AL has attracted scholars' attention because of its claimed positive influence on various employee and organisational outcomes (Avolio & Walumbwa, 2014;Gardner, Cogliser, Davis, & Dickens, 2011;Towsen, Stander, & Van der Vaart, 2020;Wang & Hsieh, 2013). As an example, Stander, De Beer and Stander (2015) mentioned that AL will predict positive work-related outcomes, more specifically the outcome of TO, which is one of the focus areas of this study.…”

Cross-Cultural Comparison of Mental Health Between German and South African Employees: Shame, Self-Compassion, Work Engagement, and Work Motivation

“…Stander and Rothmann (2010) have pointed out in the South African organizational context that work engagement increases when employees believe in themselves and when they experience a sense of freedom in their tasks. Psychological empowerment and work engagement in the South African mining sector are also correlated positively (Towsen et al, 2020).…”

How Authentic Leadership Promotes Job Performance? The Mediating Role of Organizational Climate

“…Otaghsara [38] and Jang [81] actually assessed that the role of authentic leadership can improve organizational climate. The relationship between authentic leadership and job performance is negative [18,[82][83][84][85] and conversely, these two variables appear to be positive by Srivastava & Mohaley [86], Wong & Laschinger [87], and Wang et al [88]. Comprehensive identification is shown from the findings which conclude that the decline in job performance is influenced by weakness organizational climate [89,90], but organizational climate strengthens job performance in an integrated manner [91][92][93].…”