The mediating role of employee happiness in the effect of paternalistic leadership on work engagement: an application on employees of a catering company

In today’s business world, where technology and competition are intensely experienced, one of the most essential factors for organizational success is the establishment of healthy and harmonious relationships between managers and employees. In this context, paternalistic leadership refers to managers approaching their employees with the same care and protection that a father shows to his children, while employees willingly embrace this attitude. Such an approach can have significant effects on employees’ performance, commitment, job satisfaction, work engagement, and overall happiness. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of employee happiness in the effect of paternalistic leadership on employees’ work engagement. The research population consists of all employees (N=1120) of Bortar Group Catering operating in ?zmir, while the sample comprises 428 participants who voluntarily completed the survey. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 23 statistical software. The findings aim to reveal how paternalistic leadership influences employees’ work engagement and whether happiness serves as a mediating factor in this relationship.