Investigating And Validating The Relationship Between Leadership Style And Employee Engagement Among Teaching Professionals In Higher Education

Leadership plays a critical role in influencing employee engagement, especially in educational institutions where
motivation and commitment of teaching professionals directly affect student outcomes and institutional success. This study
aims to explore the relationship between leadership style and employee engagement among teaching professionals in higher
education institutions. The study focuses on key leadership styles transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire and their
influence on the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement of faculty members.
Primary data were collected from 200 teaching professionals in higher education institutions in Chennai City using a
structured questionnaire. Statistical tools such as descriptive analysis, reliability testing, correlation, and multiple
regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The findings reveal that transformational leadership has a strong positive
influence on employee engagement, while transactional leadership exhibits a moderate impact, and laissez -faire leadership
demonstrates a negative correlation. The results emphasize the importance of transformational leadership behaviors such
as inspiration, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration in fostering faculty engagement. .