EFFECT OF TRANSACTIONAL LEADERSHIP STYLE ON EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Abstract

This study examined the effect transactional leadership style on employee engagement in public secondary schools of Murang’a County in Kenya. A survey research design was employed. The target population was 3,860 teachers. Systematic random sampling followed by use of random numbers were applied to sample 368 respondents in 306 Public Secondary Schools. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistical methods that provide measures of central tendency like the mean, standard deviation and percentages to describe the characteristics of the variables of interest in the study. The inferential statistical tools applied in this research were correlation analysis and linear regression. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS) version 23 was used to assist in data analysis. The results showed that transactional leadership had a positive significant effect on employee engagement and its dimensions. Based on the findings of this study, it was established that applying transactional leadership style on employees could increase employee engagement. It was recommended that strategies be put in place by the Ministry of Education through the Teachers Service Commission to ensure appropriate application of transactional leadership style by leaders in schools. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge in the leadership–behavioural outcomes domain that are significant to school leaders and recommends strategies that will enhance employee engagement. Key Words: Transactional Leadership, Employee Engagement, Teachers, Principals, Secondary Schools CITATION: Maundu, M., Namusonge, G. S., & Simiyu, A. N. (2020). Effect of transactional leadership style on employee engagement. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 7 (4), 963– 974.