The Role of Work Engagement Mediation in The Influence of Transformational Leadership and Job Satisfaction on Educated Generation Z Employees' Intentions to Stay in Their Jobs
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31851/jmksp.v10i2.21009Keywords:
Educational leadership, workplace learning, work engagement, intention to stay, Generation ZAbstract
This study investigates how educational-oriented leadership and job satisfaction influence educated Generation Z employees’ intention to stay, with work engagement as a learning-mediated mechanism in the manufacturing sector. Framed within educational management and workplace learning, this research positions employee retention as an outcome of organizational learning processes rather than a purely administrative human resource function. A quantitative approach was applied using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Data were collected from 210 educated Generation Z employees at PT Pabrik Kertas Tjiwi Kimia Tbk through purposive sampling. The findings indicate that transformational leadership and job satisfaction significantly enhance work engagement, which in turn mediates employees’ intention to stay. This study contributes novel insights by explicitly integrating educational leadership and workplace learning into retention research for educated Generation Z in manufacturing contexts. Practically, the results suggest that organizations fostering learning-oriented leadership, meaningful work experiences, and continuous development pathways are more likely to retain young employees. The study offers implications for educational leadership development, organizational learning design, and evidence-based retention policies in industrial settings.
References
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Avolio, B. J., Bass, B. M., & Jung, D. I. (1999). Re‐examining the components of transformational and transactional leadership using the Multifactor Leadership. Journal of occupational and organizational psychology, 72(4), 441-462.
Alhadidi, E., Khrais, H., Khalifeh, A. H., Ramzy, H., & Nashwan, A. J. (2023). The Effect of Work Motivation and Work Engagement on Intention to Stay Among Jordanian Nurses. Research Article, 2023Jan. doi: https://doi.org/10, 21203
Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2007). The job demands–resources model: State of the art. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 22(3), 309–328. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940710733115
Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations. Free Press.
Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1994). Improving organizational effectiveness through transformational leadership. Sage Publications.
Bellamkonda, N., Santhanam, N., & Pattusamy, M. (2021). Goal clarity, trust in management and intention to stay: The mediating role of work engagement. South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, 8(1), 9-28.
Bellamkonda, N., & Pattusamy, M. (2024). Intention to stay and happiness: a moderated mediation model of work engagement and hope. South Asian Journal of Business Studies, 13(1), 74-89.
Bennis, W., & Nanus, B. (1985). Leaders: The strategies for taking charge. Harper & Row.
Bloxsome, D., Ireson, D., Doleman, G., & Bayes, S. (2019). Factors associated with midwives’ job satisfaction and intention to stay in the profession: An integrative review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 28(3-4), 386-399.
Boštjančič, E., & Petrovčič, A. (2019). Exploring the relationship between job satisfaction, work engagement and career satisfaction: The study from public university. Human Systems Management, 38(4), 411-422.
Bergman, E., & Nordström, E. (2022). Perceived Organizational Support, Work Engagement, and Intention to Stay Among Temporary Agency Workers.
Charli, C. O., Masnum, A., Hidayat, R., Menhard, M., & Hartoyo, B. (2023). Interpretation innovative work behavior and transformational leadership: Analysis work engagement and work environment on Dinas Pariwisata Kota Padang. Journal of Accounting and Finance Management, 3(6), 318-333.
Chua, J., & Ayoko, O. B. (2021). Employees’ self-determined motivation, transformational leadership and work engagement. Journal of Management & Organization, 27(3), 523-543.
Craig, E. D. (2025). Impact of Transformational Leadership on Correctional Healthcare Worker Affective Commitment and Intention to Stay (Doctoral dissertation, Grand Canyon University).
Fitri, G. N., & Santoso, A. (2024). Pengaruh Pengembangan Karir, Beban Kerja dan Kompensasi Terhadap Turnover Intention Karyawan GenerasiI Z di Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta. Mufakat: Jurnal Ekonomi, Manajemen dan Akuntansi, 3(2), 344–357
Helalat, A., Sharari, H., Alhelalat, J., & Al-Aqrabawi, R. (2025). Transformational leadership and employee performance: a further insight using work engagement. ECONOMICS-INNOVATIVE AND ECONOMICS RESEARCH JOURNAL, 13(1), 333-352.
Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. B. (1959). The motivation to work (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Hungo, M., Casinillo, L., Dagohoy, R., & Lleve JR, E. (2024). Job satisfaction and intention to stay among selected private school teachers: Implication to educational policy. Diversitas Journal, 9(2).
Judeh, M., & Abou-Moghli, A. A. (2019). Transformational leadership and employee intent to stay: Mediating effect of employee self-efficacy. International Journal of Academic Research Business and Social Sciences, 9(12), 301-314.
Lai, F. Y., Tang, H. C., Lu, S. C., Lee, Y. C., & Lin, C. C. (2020). Transformational leadership and job performance: The mediating role of work engagement. Sage Open, 10(1), 2158244019899085.
Locke, E. A. (1976). The nature and causes of job satisfaction. In M. D. Dunnette (Ed.), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology (pp. 1297–1349). Rand McNally.
Manzoor, F., Wei, L., Nurunnabi, M., Subhan, Q. A., Shah, S. I. A., & Fallatah, S. (2019). The impact of transformational leadership on job performance and CSR as mediator in SMEs. Sustainability, 11, 436. doi: 10.3390/su11020436
Meng, F., Xu, Y., Liu, Y., Zhang, G., Tong, Y., & Lin, R. (2022). Linkages between transformational leadership, work meaningfulness and work engagement: A multilevel cross-sectional study. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 367-380.
Monje-Amor, A., Vázquez, J. P. A., & Faíña, J. A. (2020). Transformational leadership and work engagement: Exploring the mediating role of structural empowerment. European Management Journal, 38(1), 169-178.
Nurtjahjani, F., Batilmurik, R. W., Puspita, A. F., & Fanggidae, J. P. (2022). The relationship between transformational leadership and work engagement. Moderated mediation roles of psychological ownership and belief in just world. Organization Management Journal, 19(2), 47-59.
Nemțeanu, M. S., Dinu, V., Pop, R. A., & Dabija, D. C. (2022). Predicting job satisfaction and work engagement behavior in the COVID-19 pandemic: A conservation of resources theory approach. E&M Economics and Management, 25(2), 23-40.
Praja, A. W. K., Setyaningrum, R. P., & Rezeki, F. (2024). The Effect of Work Demands, Workload and Transformational Leadership Style on Intention to Stay Mediated by Job Satisfaction in HR Managers of Automotive Companies in Bekasi Regency. Indonesian Interdisciplinary Journal of Sharia Economics (IIJSE), 7(2), 3856-3868.
Price, J. L. (2001). Reflections on the determinants of voluntary turnover. International Journal of Manpower, 22(7), 600–624. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000006233
Rai, A., & Maheshwari, S. (2021). Exploring the mediating role of work engagement between the linkages of job characteristics with organizational engagement and job satisfaction. Management Research Review, 44(1), 133-157.
Rezeki, F. (2023). Work Attachment as Intervening Transformational Leadership and Work-Life Balance to Intention to Stay in Millennial Generation in Automotive Company. International Journal of Social Science and Business, 7(2), 476-482.
Robianto, F., & Masdupi, E. (2020, March). The effect of career development, compensation, work environment and job satisfaction on work engagement. In 4th Padang International Conference on Education, Economics, Business and Accounting (PICEEBA-2 2019) (pp. 737-748). Atlantis Press.
Sapar et al. (2021). Revisiting job satisfaction and intention to stay: A cross-sectional study among hospital nurses in the Philippines. Nurse Media Journal of Nursing.
Saraswati, K. D. H., Lie, D., Lie, D. S., & Winduwati, S. (2023). The Antecedents of Intention to Stay among Millenials: Work Engagement as Mediator. Jurnal Komunikasi, 15(2), 383-401.
Schaufeli, W. B., Bakker, A. B., & Salanova, M. (2006). The measurement of work engagement with a short questionnaire. Education Psychological Measurement, 66(4), 701–716. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164405282471
Schaufeli, W. B., Salanova, M., González-Romá, V., & Bakker, A. B. (2002). The measurement of engagement and burnout: A two sample confirmatory factor analytic approach. Journal of Happiness Studies, 3(1), 71–92. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015630930326
Senbursa, N. (2023). Container port employees’ organizational culture perception, job satisfaction & intention to stay at work. Marine Science and Technology Bulletin, 12(1), 12-26.
Spector, P. E. (1985). Measurement of human service staff satisfaction: Development of the Job Satisfaction Survey. American journal of community psychology, 13(6), 693.
Sukirno, S., Waluyo, I., Farlianto, F., Suprayitno, B., Siengthai, S., Popaitoon, S., & Johari, R. J. (2024). The Effect of Job Crafting, Proactive Personality and Work Engagement Matter on Employee’s Intention to Stay in Indonesia. Migration Letters, 21(S1), 1-13.
Thokoa, R. L., Naidoo, V., & Herbst, T. (2021). A study of job satisfaction and work engagement at the National Treasury of South Africa. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 19, 10.
Vacalares, A. K. S., & Chavez, J. C. (2024). Intention to stay: Assessing the interplay of job satisfaction, work-life balance and work engagement among faculty in a faith-based institution. Ignatian International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research, 2(5), 2156-2172.
Wang, L., Tao, H., Ellenbecker, C. H., & Liu, X. (2012). Job satisfaction, occupational commitment and intent to stay among Chinese nurses: A cross‐sectional questionnaire survey. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 68(3), 539-549. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2011.05755.x
Zhang, L., Han, L., Liang, X., Wang, R., Fan, H., Jia, Y., ... & Jiang, X. (2025). The relationship between transformational leadership and work engagement among intensive care unit nurses: the mediating function of organizational climate. BMC Nursing, 24(1), 398
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Arif Rohmanulloh, F. Danardana Murwani, Ludi Wishnu Wardana
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
JMKSP (Jurnal Manajemen, Kepemimpinan, dan Supervisi Pendidikan) by http://www.univpgri-palembang.ac.id/e_jurnal/index.php/JMKSP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
1.png){kind=logo}
