The Moderating Effect of Gender on Leaders Emotional Intelligence and workplace Engagement of Employees: in Amhara State Public Service Bureau, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study examined the moderating role of gender on the emotional intelligence of leaders and workplace engagement of employees in Amhara State Public Service Bureaus in Ethiopia. Leaders’ emotional intelligence is suggested as a multidimensional constructs self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, social awareness, and relationship management. Employee engagement measured in cognitive, emotional, and physical engagement dimensions. To achieve this objective, a correlational survey design was used. Quantitative data were collected from 358 valid employee responses selected through stratified random sampling from twenty-two public sector bureaus. Data were collected using questionnaires by using primary and secondary instrument. The collected data was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that employee’ engagement was significantly practiced at low level. Similarly, leaders’ emotional intelligence was practiced significantly at low level. The structural equation model results showed that gender moderates leaders’ emotional intelligence and employees’ workplace engagement significantly. This study concluded that gender significantly moderates leaders emotional intelligent and employees’ engagement. Thus, the findings have key implications. For practically, leadership development programs should be designed with sensitive to gender dynamics to maximize their effectiveness. From a policy perspective, policy makers should consider gender responsiveness approaches inhuman resource management strategies. From theoretically, they strengthen the link between gender, leaders’ emotional intelligence and employee engagement providing a basis for future research.