The Influence Of Follower Behavior On Work Engagement: The Mediating Role Of Leader-Member Exchange

Abstract

In this the current study, we employ a follower centric approach to examine the link between follower’s conflict behaviour, work engagement and quality of leader membership exchange (LMX). Additionally, we hypothesized and tested the mediating role of leader membership exchange in the relationship between follower’s conflict behaviour and work engagement. Design/methodology /approach quantitative data were collected randomly from 735 employees to examine the connection between follower’s conflict behaviour and work engagement under the mediating role of leader membership exchange. The research has a limited in demographic and geographic aspects as the researcher limit the research within Karachi. Smart PLS was used to analysis the data. The findings indicted that individual follower’s conflict behaviour associated with work engagement and leader membership exchange quality. Whereas, practically managers would be more successful in managing conflicts in team if they would observe their follower’s conflict behaviour and act as role model in displaying problem solving conflict behaviour an approach that has been  identified in this study in order to create guidance in elicting transformational behaviour from leaders. Several conclusions have been reached, along with implications and suggested future directions for research. However, organizations must train their leaders in transformational leadership given that our result show the transformational leadership has a direct positive connection with employee’s work engagement. Specifically ,the follower’s conflict behaviour should now be incorporated into leadership (e.g transformational) training program. Finally, managers who need to boost teamwork engagement should consider increasing the quality of the leader membership exchange in the team. Thus far research on leadership have been leader-centric and while we are aware that follower’s have an important role in shaping the leaders behaviour and how followers might impact their leader style and leader membership exchange quality.