THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT TO ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

This study investigates the correlation between authentic leadership and employee commitment to organizational change, a critical area that has seen limited exploration in leadership research. Although employee attitudes are pivotal in ensuring the success of change initiatives, few empirical studies have focused on the relationship between authentic leadership and commitment to change. This research aims to fill that gap by examining how authentic leadership influences employees’ commitment to organizational transformation. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional survey, data were collected from employees at higher education institutions in the Southern State Peninsula of Malaysia through an online panel. The findings reveal significant positive correlations between authentic leadership and the three dimensions of commitment to organizational change: affective, normative, and continuance commitment. Specifically, the results demonstrate that authentic leadership is strongly associated with affective commitment (estimate = 0.179, p < 0.001), indicating that employees who perceive their leaders as authentic are more emotionally attached and supportive of organizational change. Additionally, a significant correlation was found between authentic leadership and normative commitment (estimate = 0.155, p < 0.001), suggesting that authentic leadership fosters a sense of moral obligation among employees to support the change. Finally, the relationship between authentic leadership and continuance commitment (estimate = 0.151, p < 0.001) indicates that employees are more likely to stay committed to the change due to perceived costs of non-compliance. These findings contribute to the understanding of how leadership styles influence employees’ attitudes toward change, offering practical insights for leaders in higher education institutions to enhance employee commitment during organizational transformations..