Transformational leadership and meaningful work

Over the last three decades, there has been considerable interest in work meaningfulness—the degree to which an employee experiences work as inherently fulfilling and rewarding, judged in relation to an individual’s own ideals or standards (Hackman & Oldham, 1980). Empirical evidence shows that, to the extent that employees experience work meaningfulness, they are more likely to be engaged in their jobs, thereby enhancing their effectiveness and job performance (Arnold, Turner, Barling, Kelloway, & McKee 2007; May, Gilson, & Harter, 2004; Sparks & Schenk, 2001). Therefore, it is important to understand what predicts or makes work more meaningful. Given the dominant role of leadership in the workplace (Avolio, Walumbwa, & Weber, 2009; Avolio, Reichard, Hannah, Walumbwa, & Chan, 2009; Yukl, 2010), one key situational factor that may have substantial impact on meaningful work is leadership.