The Moderator Impact of Job Enrichment on the Relationship Between Transformational Leadership and Employee Job Performance at the Civil Service Sector
Employee performance significantly impacts an organization's overall performance. It evaluates an employee's effectiveness in fulfilling their work obligations and responsibilities. This research explores the relationship between transformational leadership (TFL), job enrichment (JE), and employee performance (EP). Furthermore, it examines the role of job enrichment as a moderator that influences the connection between transformational leadership and employee job performance. The study gathered data through an employee survey from various enterprises in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The research model and hypotheses were established and validated based on relevant previous literature, while the tested hypotheses utilized structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicated a significant positive relationship between transformational leadership and employee performance. Similarly, a notable correlation was found between job enrichment and employee work performance. Additionally, job enrichment demonstrated a notable moderating effect on the relationship between the variables analyzed in this study. The moderating effect size was measured at 0.022%, with the model exhibiting a strong explanatory power of 0.681%. The findings hold practical and theoretical implications for targeted enterprises in Bahrain. The study's implications also offer valuable insights into strategies for enhancing leadership practices and employee job performance.
[1] Abdulrab, M., Alwaleedi, K. A. T., Al-Mamary, Y. H., Zumrah, A. R., Al-Tahitah, A. N., & Al-Mekhlafi, A.-B. A. (2025). Beyond leadership: How transformational leaders foster organizational citizenship and engagement through psychological empowerment. Journal of Chinese Human Resources Management, 16(1), 119-145.
[2] Afsouran, N. R., Charkhabi, M., & Seidel, L. (2022). The link between transformational leadership and organizational development: Testing the mediating role of employees' maturity. Journal of Management Development, 41(7/8), 417-430.
[3] Al-Mekhlafi, A.-B. A., Isha, A. S. N., Al-Tahitah, A. N., Kineber, A. F., Al-Dhawi, B. N. S., & Ajmal, M. (2023). Modelling the impact of driver work environment on driving performance among oil and gas heavy vehicles: SEM-PLS. Safety, 9(3), 48.
[4] Al-Mekhlafi, A.-B. A., Isha, A. S. N., Chileshe, N., Kineber, A. F., Ajmal, M., Baarimah, A. O., & Al-Aidrous, A.-H. M. (2024). Risk assessment of driver performance in the oil and gas transportation industry: Analyzing the relationship between driver vigilance, attention, reaction time, and safe driving practices. Heliyon, 10(6).
[5] Al-Tahitah, A., Muthaliff, M. M. A., Abdulrab, M., & Al-Maamari, Q. A. (2018). Paper review on the relationship between transformational leadership and readiness for change. International Journal of Energy Policy and Management, 3(1), 1-7.
[6] Al-Tahitah, A., Muthaliff, M. M. A., Sammari, N., & Abdulrab, M. (2021). The mediating effect of learning organisational culture between leadership styles and readiness for change: An empirical study in Yemen. International Journal of Learning and Change, 13(6), 609-626.
[7] Al Dossary, A. A. R., Al-Deeb, H. M., & Abdeldayem, M. M. (2022). The impact of psychological well-being on employees' participation at the Civil Service Bureau in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Journal of Statistics Applications & Probability, 11(S1), 153-175.
[8] Almaamari, Q. A. (2022). The influence of green human resource management on organizational performance in retail sector in Bahrain. A Journal of Vytautas Magnus University, 15(1), 362-376.
[9] Alnehabi, M., & Al-Mekhlafi, A.-B. A. (2025). Exploring the influence of the critical factors on intentions of employee turnover in the banking segment: A comprehensive mediating analysis. BMC psychology, 13(1), 187.
[10] Ateeq, A., & Ibrahim, S. B. (2024). Advancing sustainability in industry: Strategies for integrating eco-friendly practices into corporate operations. Kurdish Stud, 12(2), 5564-5570.
[11] Bagozzi, R. P., & Yi, Y. (2012). Specification, evaluation, and interpretation of structural equation models. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(1), 8-34.
[12] Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of personality and social psychology, 51(6), 1173.
[13] Boz, M., Martínez, I., & Munduate, L. (2009). Breaking negative consequences of relationship conflicts at work: The moderating role of work family enrichment and supervisor support. Revista de Psicología del Trabajo y de las Organizaciones, 25(2), 113-121.
[14] Buil, I., Martínez, E., & Matute, J. (2019). Transformational leadership and employee performance: The role of identification, engagement and proactive personality. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 77, 64-75.
[15] Byrne, B. M., & Group, F. (2010). Structural equation modeling with AMOS: Basic concepts, applications, and programming (multivariate applications series). New York: Taylor, 396(1), 7384.
[16] Chileshe, N., Rameezdeen, R., Hosseini, M. R., Martek, I., Li, H. X., & Panjehbashi-Aghdam, P. (2018). Factors driving the implementation of reverse logistics: A quantified model for the construction industry. Waste Management, 79, 48-57.
[17] Chin, W. W. (1998). Commentary: Issues and opinion on structural equation modeling. MIS Quarterly, Management Information Systems Research Center, University of Minnesota, 22(1), 7-16.
[18] Chin, W. W., Marcolin, B. L., & Newsted, P. R. (2003). A partial least squares latent variable modeling approach for measuring interaction effects: Results from a Monte Carlo simulation study and an electronic-mail emotion/adoption study. Information systems research, 14(2), 189-217.
[19] Chua, E. C.-P., Yeo, S.-C., Lee, I. T.-G., Tan, L.-C., Lau, P., Cai, S., Zhang, X., Puvanendran, K., & Gooley, J. J. J. S. (2014). Sustained attention performance during sleep deprivation associates with instability in behavior and physiologic measures at baseline. Sleep, 37(1), 27-39.
[20] Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
[21] Cristea, M., Noja, G. G., & Ponea, C. S. (2020). Supporting immigration for an enhanced agricultural sustainable development within the European Union. Facta Universitatis, Series: Economics and Organization, 17(1), 1-16.
[22] Davoudi, S. M. M. (2013). Impact: Job enrichment in organizational citizenship behaviour. SCMS journal of Indian Management, 10(2), 106.
[23] Ehrnrooth, M., Koveshnikov, A., Balabanova, E., & Wechtler, H. (2023). High-performance work system and transformational leadership for employee constructive voice: Unique and relative importance in a high-power distance context. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 34(20), 3893-3932.
[24] Eliyana, A., & Ma'arif, S. (2019). Job satisfaction and organizational commitment effect in the transformational leadership towards employee performance. European Research on Management and Business Economics, 25(3), 144-150.
[25] Eliyana, A., Bastari, A., & Wijayanti, T. (2020). Effects of transformational leadership styles on job performance with job motivation as mediation: A study in a state-owned enterprise. Management Science Letters, 10(12), 2883-2888.
[26] Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50.
[27] Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. L. (2006). Multivariate data analysis (6th ed.). Pearson Prentice Hall.
[28] Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2013). Partial least squares structural equation modeling: Rigorous applications, better results and higher acceptance. Long Range Planning, 46(1-2), 1-12.
[29] Hair Jr, J. F., Matthews, L. M., Matthews, R. L., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). PLS-SEM or CB-SEM: Updated guidelines on which method to use. International Journal of Multivariate Data Analysis, 1(2), 107-123.
[30] Hamdan, H. (2022). Importance employee engagement and position promotion on employee performance in small and medium business groups in Banten Province. International Journal of Science, Technology & Management, 3(4), 959-971.
[31] Henseler, J., & Chin, W. W. (2010). A comparison of approaches for the analysis of interaction effects between latent variables using partial least squares path modeling. Structural Equation Modeling, 17(1), 82-109.
[32] Henseler, J., & Fassott, G. (2010). Testing moderating effects in PLS path models: An illustration of available procedures. In Handbook of partial least squares (pp. 713-735). Springer.
[33] Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sinkovics, R. R. (2009). The use of partial least squares path modeling in international marketing. In New challenges to international marketing. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
[34] Henseler, J., Wilson, B., Götz, O., & Hautvast, C. (2007). Investigating the moderating role of fit on sports sponsorship and brand equity. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 8, 34-42.
[35] Hinkin, T. R., & Schriesheim, C. A. (2008). A theoretical and empirical examination of the transactional and non-leadership dimensions of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). The Leadership Quarterly, 19(5), 501-513.
[36] Hussin, A. (2011). The relationship between job satisfaction and job performance among employees in tradewinds group of companies [Doctoral dissertation, Open University Malaysia].
[37] Jyoti, J., & Bhau, S. (2016). Empirical investigation of moderating and mediating variables in between transformational leadership and related outcomes: A study of higher education sector in North India. International Journal of Educational Management, 30(6), 1123-1149.
[38] Jyoti, J., & Bhau, S. (2016). Transformational leadership and job performance: A study of higher education. Journal of Service Research, 15(2), 77.
[39] Kalliath, P., Kalliath, T., Chan, X. W., & Chan, C. (2019). Linking work–family enrichment to job satisfaction through job well-being and family support: A moderated mediation analysis of social workers across India. The British Journal of Social Work, 49(1), 234-255.
[40] Kapur, R. (2021). Leadership role in educational institutions. International Journal of Information, Business and Management, 13(3), 27-37.
[41] Kh, A., Mohamed, M., Hameed, S., Mohamed, M., & Alnoaimi, R. (2024). Job crafting and work engagement: A study of civil service bureau employees in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Journal of Asian Scientific Research, 14(4), 511-520.
[42] Kharabsheh, R. A., & Malalla, F. A. (2021). The effect of organizational culture on knowledge sharing: A case study of Civil Service Bureau in Bahrain. In Proceedings of TAKE 2021 Conference.
[43] Kline, M. A., & Boyd, R. (2010). Population size predicts technological complexity in Oceania. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 277(1693), 2559-2564.
[44] Koopmans, L., Bernaards, C., Hildebrandt, V., Van Buuren, S., Van der Beek, A. J., & De Vet, H. C. (2013). Development of an individual work performance questionnaire. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 62(1), 6-28.
[45] 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.
[46] Larsson, G. (2006). The developmental leadership questionnaire (DLQ): Some psychometric properties. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 47(4), 253-262.
[47] Lauritzen, H. H., Grøn, C. H., & Kjeldsen, A. M. (2022). Leadership matters, but so do co-workers: A study of the relative importance of transformational leadership and team relations for employee outcomes and user satisfaction. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 42(4), 614-640.
[48] 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(2), 436.
[49] Marta, I. A., Supartha, I., Dewi, I., & Wibawa, I. (2021). Job enrichment, empowerment, and organizational commitment: The mediating role of work motivation and job satisfaction. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 8(1), 1031-1040.
[50] Milhem, M. M., Muda, H., & Ahmed, K. (2019). The effect of perceived transactional leadership style on employee engagement in Palestinian ICT industry. Journal of Advanced Research in Business and Management Studies, 14(1), 42-51.
[51] Mishra, P., Bhatnagar, J., Gupta, R., & Wadsworth, S. M. (2019). How work–family enrichment influence innovative work behavior: Role of psychological capital and supervisory support. Journal of Management & Organization, 25(1), 58-80.
[52] Olanrewaju, O. I., Kineber, A. F., Chileshe, N., & Edwards, D. J. (2021). Modelling the impact of building information modelling (BIM) implementation drivers and awareness on project lifecycle. Sustainability, 13(16), 8887.
[53] Olanrewaju, O. I., Oyewobi, L. O., Idiake, J. E., Alumbugu, P., Babarinde, S. A., & Oke, A. E. (2019). Nexus of economic recession and building construction cost in Nigeria. Journal of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, 65.
[54] Pham, H., Pham, T., & Dang, C. N. (2022). Assessing the importance of transformational leadership competencies and supply chain learning to green innovation: Construction practitioners' perspectives. Construction Innovation, 22(4), 1138-1154.
[55] Pinder, C. C. (2014). Work motivation in organizational behavior. Psychology Press.
[56] Purwanto, A. (2021). Managing employee performance: From leadership to readiness for change. International Journal of Social and Management Studies (IJOSMAS).
[57] Putri, W. H., & Setianan, A. R. (2019). Job enrichment, organizational commitment, and intention to quit: The mediating role of employee engagement. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 17(2), 518-526.
[58] Ramos-Villagrasa, P. J., Barrada, J. R., Fernández-del-Río, E., & Koopmans, L. (2019). Assessing job performance using brief self-report scales: The case of the individual work performance questionnaire. Revista de Psicología del Trabajo y de las Organizaciones, 35(3), 195-205.
[59] Ringle, C., Da Silva, D., & Bido, D. (2014). Structural equation modeling with the SmartPLS. Brazilian Journal of Marketing, 13(2).
[60] Sánchez, I. D., Sitú, M., & Murillo, L. (2023). Breaking down walls, building bridges: The importance of transformational leadership considering contextual and individual factors in resistance to change. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 31(7), 3295-3314.
[61] Soeardi, E. K., Ilhami, R., & Achmad, W. (2023). The role of leadership in the development of public organizations. Journal of Governance, 7(4), 877-884.
[62] Sugiarti, E., Finatariani, E., & Rahman, Y. T. (2021). Earning cultural values as a strategic step to improve employee performance. Scientific Journal of Reflection: Economic, Accounting, Management and Business, 4(1), 221-230.
[63] Utin, N. H., & Yosepha, S. Y. (2019). The model of employee performance. International Review of Management and Marketing, 9(3), 69.
[64] Wong, K. K.-K. (2013). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) techniques using SmartPLS. Marketing Bulletin, 24(1), 1-32.
[65] Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (Vol. 5). Sage.
[66] Zeyaaddiny, M., & Ramezani, S. (2013). Job enrichment and job engagement for propensity to leave of employees. Journal of Strategic Management Studies, 4(15), 177-199.