Cultivating faculty well-being and engagement through transformational leadership in emerging country

Purpose Employee engagement is vital for organizational success, driving productivity, innovation, and commitment. While leadership significantly impacts engagement, the precise mechanisms remain under investigation. This study explores how transformational leadership influences work engagement through the lens of meaningful work perception and employee well-being. Design/methodology/approach The research employed quantitative methods, surveying 391 Vietnamese faculty members. Data analysis utilized SPSS and structural equation modeling partial least squares (SEM PLS). Findings Results indicate that transformational leadership positively affects perceived work meaningfulness, employee well-being and work engagement. Notably, meaningful work perception mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and the other two factors. Originality/value These findings offer practical insights for universities seeking to enhance employee engagement. They highlight the importance of fostering transformational leadership styles and creating an environment where employees perceive their work as meaningful.