(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Balogun, Tolulope Victoria; Mahembe, Bright
Organizations exist for the primary aim of meeting particular objectives: innovation and
advancement, customer satisfaction, profit making and delivery of quality goods and
services. These goals are mostly channelled with the intent of demonstrating high
performance crucial for the continued existence of the organization especially in these
rapidly changing global economies. This target, however, cannot be achieved without
the aid of employees in the organization. A plethora of previous studies have proven
that efficiency, productivity, high performance and stability on the job can be better
achieved when the employees are dedicated, committed to their work roles and
experience work engagement. The experience of work engagement on the part of the
employees is not a random event; it depends on a myriad of factors that include
authentic leadership. Leaders have a cumulative change effect on their followers; hence,
leaders in an organization can be termed as core drivers of employee engagement.
Hence, it becomes imperative to seek to understand what authentic leadership as a
construct has to offer to the workplace.