Leadership and Employee Engagement in Global Workplaces: A Review of Contemporary Behavioural Research

Abstract

The increasing globalisation of work and the rise of remote and hybrid organisational structures have amplified the importance of effective leadership in shaping employee engagement. In multicultural and technologically mediated environments, leadership plays a critical role in influencing employee motivation, well-being, and performance outcomes. This review aims to synthesise contemporary behavioural research on the relationship between leadership and employee engagement in global workplaces. Adopting a narrative review approach, the study integrates findings from recent theoretical and empirical literature across organisational behaviour, leadership studies, and cross-cultural management. The review focuses on three key themes: leadership styles, underlying behavioural mechanisms, and cross-cultural dynamics. It examines how leadership approaches such as transformational, servant, and authentic leadership influence engagement through mechanisms including psychological safety, trust, and meaningful work. Additionally, it highlights the moderating role of cultural contexts and diversity in shaping leadership effectiveness and engagement outcomes. The findings suggest that transformational and inclusive leadership styles are particularly effective in fostering sustained engagement in global settings. The study contributes to both theory and practice by offering an integrative framework that connects leadership behaviours with psychological and contextual factors influencing engagement. It also provides practical insights for organisations seeking to enhance engagement through culturally responsive and adaptive leadership strategies. The review concludes by emphasising the need for future research to adopt longitudinal, cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary approaches to better understand leadership in evolving global workplaces.