The Mediating Role of Social Media in the Relationship between Perceived Leadership Support and Employee Engagement in Banking

Abstract

Purpose: The present study endeavors to concentrate on the role of perceived leadership support in fostering employee engagement. Specifically, the study considers the social media contribution in this relationship. The mediating role of social media and the links between perceived leadership support and employee engagement are also discussed. Design/methodology/approach: The investigation begins with a review of literature in the context of organizations. The data are based on a cross-sectional structured questionnaire for a cohort of 167 respondents form the Polish and Sri Lankan banking sector and was used to verify the research hypotheses. The responses were examined using mediation analysis with bootstrapping. Findings: Results from the study indicate that social media partially mediates the relationship between perceived leadership support and employee engagement. The study demonstrates the growing need for better use of social media in developing a positive perception of leadership support to build employee engagement. Implications: Implications of these findings for organizations are discussed. The study contributes to the understanding and value of how leadership perception affects organizational outcomes. Originality/value: This study provides insight into the role of social media in facilitating leadership support to enhance employee engagement.