Workplace Engagement as a Mediator Between Leadership Style and Talent Retention

This study examines the role of workplace engagement as a mediator between leadership style and talent retention in firms within Jodhpur District, Rajasthan. A quantitative methodology was used to collect data from 250 workers across several industries using structured questionnaires. The research examines three unique leadership styles— transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire—and evaluates their impact on employee engagement and retention results. The “Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ)” was used to evaluate leadership styles, the “Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES)” assessed employee engagement, and a tailored scale rated talent retention. Statistical techniques such as Cronbach’s Alpha for reliability, along with T-tests and ANOVA for hypothesis testing, were applied. Results indicate that transformational leadership markedly boosts workplace engagement, which subsequently has a strong positive impact on retaining talent. Transactional leadership demonstrates a moderate positive influence, whereas laissez-faire leadership shows a detrimental effect on both engagement and retention. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that workplace engagement fully mediates the link between transformational leadership & talent retention, partially mediates in the case of transactional leadership, and does not serve as a mediator for laissez-faire leadership. The study underscores the importance of cultivating employee engagement through effective leadership practices to improve retention rates. These insights enrich the existing body of knowledge on organizational behavior and offer actionable guidance for managers seeking to reduce employee turnover and strengthen commitment. However, the study’s focus on a specific geographic region and its reliance on self-reported data are noted limitations, indicating the need for future research in varied contexts and using longitudinal methods.