LEADERSHIP STYLE AND ITS RELATION TO EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT IN SELECTED PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ILE-IFE, OSUN STATE

Opaleye, Muyiwa Adeleke

Department of Business Administration & Management

The Polytechnic, Ile-Ife. Osun State.

Email: opaleye2muyiwa@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate the relationship between leadership style and employee engagement in public secondary schools in Ile-Ife. Also, the study aims to examine the extent at which transformational and transactional leadership styles impact employee engagement. The study employed a descriptive survey design which measured independent and dependent variables. 20 public secondary schools were selected from a total number of 32 secondary schools in Ile-Ife through a convenience non-probability sampling technique as samples. Furthermore, 10 teachers were chosen randomly from each secondary school selected excluding the principals of those schools who occupies the leadership position. Out of the 200 questionnaire administered, 191 questionnaire were returned while 187 questionnaire were considered useful for the study. Data for this study was collected through a self-structured questionnaire. The questions were structured in five-point Likert type ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The data collected was analyzed using Correlation and Regression Analysis. The analysis revealed that There was a strong, positive correlation between employee engagement (EE) and transformational leadership style (TFLS) [r = .499, n=187, p<.001]. Also, there was a strong, positive correlation between employee engagement (EE) and transactional leadership style (TSLS) [r = .597, n=187, p<.001].

Furthermore, from coefficient table of regression model, the largest beta coefficient for TSLS is .468 at significance level 0.000 (p<.05), meaning that transactional leadership style (independent variable) makes the strongest unique contribution to explaining employee engagement (dependent variable) as compared to transformational leadership style .