The Nexus between Leadership Style and Employee Performance: A Mediated Moderation Model

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Published: Jun 30, 2025
Keywords:
Transformational Leadership, Transactional Leadership, Employee Training, Employee Motivation, Employee Performance, Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Public Sector, Pakistan

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Sanaullah Aman
Management Sciences Department, Center for Advanced Studies in Engineering, Islamabad, Pakistan.
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7252-6127
Muhammad Irfanullah Arfeen
QASMS, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7440-971X
Arbab Gul
QASMS, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8872-7411

Abstract

Pakistan is currently grappling with an unprecedented political and economic crisis, which calls for committed and capable public managers to enhance institutional performance and address economic challenges. However, government efforts to emphasize the role of leadership in fostering organizational commitment among public servants have remained limited. This study examines the impact of leadership styles and employee performance on the effectiveness of public sector organizations. Data were collected via online surveys from 279 middle managers across six public institutions: the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), and Capital Hospital. Adopting a quantitative approach and purposive sampling, the responses were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that both transformational and transactional leadership styles significantly enhance employee performance. Moreover, employee motivation and training serve as mediators, strengthening the relationship between leadership and performance outcomes. Notably, Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) moderates the motivation–performance link but not the training–performance link, emphasizing the importance of fostering OCB within institutions. These findings support prior research and highlight the dynamic role of leadership in driving organizational success.

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How to Cite
Aman, S. ., Arfeen, M. I. ., & Gul, A. (2025). The Nexus between Leadership Style and Employee Performance: A Mediated Moderation Model. Journal of Workplace Behavior, 6(1), 56–69. Retrieved from https://charisma-jwb.com/index.php/jwb/article/view/278
Issue
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2025): Journal of Workplace Behavior (JoWB)
Section
Articles
Author Biographies

Sanaullah Aman, Management Sciences Department, Center for Advanced Studies in Engineering, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Dr. Sanaullah Aman is a distinguished professional with over four decades of experience in law, engineering, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR). He currently serves as the CEO of Saarosh ADR Center and multiple arbitration forums in Pakistan and internationally. A PhD in Management Science and a civil engineer by background, Dr. Aman has held senior positions in the Capital Development Authority (CDA), contributed to international arbitration panels, and trained thousands in ADR, leadership, and governance. He is also a published author and an accredited mediator with multiple international institutions.

Muhammad Irfanullah Arfeen, QASMS, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.

M. Irfanullah Arfeen is an Associate Professor and Director at the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. He has completed his Postdoctoral Fellow from the UNU-EGOV, Portugal. He also served as eGovernance Consultant with UNDP Projects at Federal and Provincial level in Pakistan. He has obtained his PhD in Engineering Management from University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila, Pakistan in March 2012. During his PhD, he spent one year as Doctoral Research Visitor at the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research in the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.

Arbab Gul, QASMS, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Arbab Gul is a dedicated academic and professional with a strong background in Human Resource Management and Management Sciences. He holds an M.Phil in HRM from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, and an MS in Management as well as a BBA (Hons) from Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan. Arbab has over four years of experience in freelancing and digital marketing, complemented by teaching and administrative roles, including serving as Vice Principal at L.E.V. Science School in Layyah. He has also taught science subjects at the higher secondary level and interned at DG Cement. Arbab possesses strong analytical and interpersonal skills, with proficiency in tools such as SPSS, AMOS, NVivo, and MS Office. He is multilingual, fluent in English, Urdu, Saraiki, and Baluchi, and actively engages in extracurricular activities such as badminton, tourism, and socio-political commentary.