The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Work Engagement: The Dual Mediating Effects of Knowledge Sharing and Psychological Empowerment

While studies have explored the relationship between transformational leadership and work engagement and its mechanisms, they tend to focus on internal aspects of subordinates (e.g., motive, the meaning of work) or external aspects (e.g., organizational culture). This study recognizes the need to consider both attitudinal and behavioral aspects of subordinates in the process by which transformational leadership influences work engagement. In today's organizational environment, where team-based work is prevalent, knowledge sharing and psychological empowerment are important factors that foster an individual's enthusiasm for their work. This study posits knowledge sharing in the behavioral dimension and psychological empowerment in the attitudinal dimension to examine their mediating effects and differences in the relationship between transformational leadership and work engagement. Analyzing data collected from 584 individuals in China working in the service and education industries, the study found that both knowledge sharing and psychological empowerment significantly mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and work engagement. Psychological empowerment had a greater mediating effect compared to knowledge sharing. The implication of the study lies in examining the effects and mechanisms of transformational leadership on subordinates' attitudes and behaviors in the context of today's organizational management, where enthusiasm, beyond mere satisfaction, is crucial.