article · Administrative Sciences
Telecommunication companies face rapid technological shifts and intense competition, placing considerable pressure on their workforce. A qualitative study investigated how inclusive leadership affects employee engagement within two telecommunications firms in Namibia. Researchers interviewed twenty-two executives using semi-structured, face-to-face discussions and analysed the transcripts thematically. The findings indicate that empathetic and non-hierarchical leadership behaviours serve as the most crucial drivers of team engagement and discretionary effort. In addition, factors such as distinct career progression pathways, job autonomy, cross-departmental collaboration, and supportive supervision strongly foster employee engagement. Together, these workplace dynamics support innovative performance and long-term sustainability in the telecommunications sector.
In fast-paced technology sectors, retaining talent and encouraging innovation are vital for sustainable business operations. Understanding how leadership styles affect worker commitment helps organisations design healthier workplace cultures. This research highlights practical management practices, demonstrating that empathy and flatter organisational structures directly stimulate employee effort and collaboration during periods of rapid industry change.
Telecommunications leadership teams and human resource practitioners can use these qualitative insights to refine internal leadership training, career frameworks, and organisational policies. The work identifies operational behaviours that support workforce retention and eco-innovation. As this is qualitative exploratory research conducted across two firms, the findings represent an early-stage evidence base that organisations must internally adapt and test within their specific workplace programmes.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
There has been a growing concern about the influence of inclusive leadership on employee engagement in the telecommunications industry. The telecommunications industry is undergoing rapid technological advancements, leading to increased competition and pressure on employees. Creating an inclusive workplace in such a dynamic environment is essential to attracting and retaining talented professionals and driving eco-innovation for sustainable development in Industry 4.0. Despite the importance of inclusive leadership, there is dearth of studies exploring the influence of inclusive leadership on employee engagement in the telecommunications industry. Hence, this study sought to examine the influence of inclusive leadership on employee engagement in selected telecommunication companies in Namibia. A qualitative approach was adopted, where face-to-face interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. The participants (22 executives) were selected for interviews from two telecommunication companies in Namibia using a purposive sampling method. Data collection involved recording and transcribing participant interviews using Microsoft Word. Thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo 20 software. Results show the importance of empathy and non-hierarchical leadership behaviour as the most critical factor influencing team engagement and discretionary effort in the telecommunications industry in Namibia. Meanwhile, clear career advancement pathways, work autonomy, cross-departmental collaboration, and supervisory support are major contributors to employee engagement for innovative performance and sustainability in the telecommunications industry.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.3390/admsci14060126
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
