Placing people at the core of organization: the influence of leadership styles on work engagement, employee burnout and job performance

Purpose The main objective of the research is to investigate whether and to what extent each of the three leadership styles of the full-range leadership model (i.e. transformational leadership, transactional leadership and passive-avoidant leadership) influences work engagement, burnout and job performance of the employees in the context of the hybrid environment apposite to the post-COVID-19 pandemic reality. Design/methodology/approach With a view to obtain a comprehensive outlook of the subject and to carry out a thorough analysis, a questionnaire-based survey with a convenience sample of 203 employees from big corporations in Romania was unfolded. The data is processed with structural equation modeling, namely SmartPLS 4. Findings Evidence was brought forward that transformational leadership positively influences work engagement and job performance, whereas no significant relationships were retrieved between transactional leadership and the subscales of the dependent variables. Originality/value The study integrates within a common framework many organizational processes and outcomes, using standardized instruments which have proved their relevance and suitability over time. Alongside, it illustrates the effects posed by various styles of leadership on employees’ commitment, engagement, well-being, burnout and performance and signals the imperative to delve into the underlying connections between these variables.