Transformational Leadership Contributions for Employee Autonomy

Abstract

The performance of a company is affected by several variables, and understanding them and knowing how they work is decisive for management. Therefore, this research aims to address and measure how transformational leadership impacts employee work. To test the conceptual model, the authors used survey data from 174 active workers. Data were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results reveal that leaders who adopt a transformational approach allow workers to be more autonomous in their work, the autonomy leveraging the existence of efficiency in tasks and processes. Efficiency is also reached through cost savings, which translates into a reduction of unproductive work time. Furthermore, results indicate the mediating effect of efficiency and employee autonomy on the relationship between transformational leadership and cost savings and between transformational leadership and unproductive work time.