Research on the Impact of Leadership Styles Based on Organisational Climate on Employees' Work Performance

Introduction: In the landscape of human resource management's evolution and amidst the significance of leadership, understanding how leadership styles influence employees' work performance is crucial. This research delves into the impacts of autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire leadership styles on tasks and contextual performance, considering the mediating role of the organisational climate. Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted from March to May 2024, targeting 16 enterprises in Beijing. Out of the responses, 204 valid questionnaires were collected, with an effective response rate of 87.18%. Scales from previous studies were used to measure leadership styles, organisational climates, and workplace performance. SPSS 22.0 was employed for reliability, validity, correlation, and regression analyses. Results: Autocratic leadership negatively impacts work performance, democratic leadership has a positive effect, and laissez-faire leadership shows no significant correlation with work performance. Organisational climate partially mediates the relationship between autocratic and democratic leadership and work performance, with different mediating degrees in task and contextual performance. However, it does not mediate the relationship between laissez-faire leadership and work performance. Autocratic leadership may limit employees' autonomy, reducing work enthusiasm. Democratic leadership encourages participation and enhances performance. The lack of significant impact of laissez-faire leadership might be due to insufficient guidance. Organisational climate plays a crucial role in the leadership-performance relationship, and different leadership styles interact with it variably. Conclusion: Leadership styles have distinct effects on work performance. Organisational climate mediates the relationship between autocratic and democratic leadership and work performance, but not for laissez-faire leadership. This research enriches theoretical understanding and provides practical guidance for enterprise managers. However, it has limitations, and future research should expand samples and variables for more comprehensive insights.